HARMONY: Both the Shivbhakts and Fr Bolmax must avoid provoking clashes between Hindus and Catholics.

By Rajan Narayan

Let us listen to voices of sanity like gutsy Dr Oscar Rebello and Shreha Dargalkar Pereira. Let us reject the provocative use of Mr Noronha’s article in the church bulletin on equating Goa with Manipur. Let us preserve the truly secular spirit of harmony in Goa. Contrary to what Noronha says about being prepared to be striped and being completely negative, we think it is better to sing, dance and be merry than to engage in communal battles and wars….

WE dedicate our special 77th Independence Day issue to Shreha Dargalkar Pereira of Siolim. Who represents the spirit of Indian Independence. In a YouTube passionate talk in shudh Konkani Shreya who is a thiatr actress lashes out against fanatic Shivbhakts and Catholics for inciting communal war fare between each other. This young woman Shreha is not as critical about Vasco parish priest Fr Dr Bolmax Pereira as Dr Oscar Rebello and she says he has asked for forgiveness and the State should be magnanimous enough to forgive him. Fr Bolmax has been at the mercy of so-called Shivbhakts for making derogatory comments on Maharashtra’s much loved historical warrior king Shivaji Maharaj in one of his Sunday sermons, he said he was a great warrior king but not a god surely and Hindus must not worship him.
Though later on Fr Bolmax apologized the Hindutva lunatics and fanatics with a pretense of being devout Shivaji lovers gathered in a mob at the Chicalim church to denounce Fr Bolmax and asking for his arrest. This in turn provoked Fr Bolmax’ supporters to rally around and sing hymns outside the Vasco Police Station where much of the drama was playing out. Making it look as if Goa will the next fertile ground for BJP-inspired communal warfare.

CHURCH BULLETIN
THE other shocking attack on the secular spirit of Goa is in Mr Noronha’s article in a recent issue of the church bulletin “Renewal Novsornni Renovacao.” The church of course has always disowned responsibility and claimed that it is not the church but the individual claiming to represent it in times of controversy or trouble. But the article could not have even carried the approval of the church. Noronha who seems to be what is described by Catholics as a “fanatic parklo” (pro-Portuguese) was provoked by Chief Minister of Goa Dr Pramod Sawant’s threat some time ago to wipe out all Portuguese traces of influence from Goa. Perhaps the CM did not realize at the time that it is there is also Portuguese legacy that has enriched Goa and made it the most cosmopolitan State of the country and that is why it invites appreciation and tourism.
Besides of course Goa would have had no feni or fenny but for the Portuguese. It was the Portuguese who introduced cashew nut trees to Goa and everyone wants to eat Goan caju only. Noronha’s provocative article insists that Manipur is repeating itself in Goa but this is a ridiculous comparison as there is no parallel between Manipur and Goa.
Manipur and many of the north-eastern states are tribal states where clashes between tribal groups seeking settlements somewhere have been frequent. The present horrors in Manipur is because the BJP leaders and Manipur politicians incited the minority Kuki to confront the majority Meiteis. The provocation specifically was the special tribal status and reservation presented to the predominantly Hindu Meiteis. Then the BJP-ruled state did not take any action when the video of two women being stripped, molested, paraded and raped by Hindu Meiti fanatics surfaced on social media after two months (when it was hushed up officially). Manipur continues to burn with the government not permitting the mass burial of 36 Kuki victims.

NO COMMUNALISM IN GOA
THERE have never been communal riots of this tribal rivalry kind in Goa excepting for the minor incident in Curchorem in 2006. Therefore to compare or equate Goa with Manipur is inflammatory and considerably defamatory to Goa. The irresponsible disc jockey Nacellis Noronha in his church bulletin article warns of churches being demolished arbitrarily. Drawing a parallel to the horrors of women being stripped in Manipur to be paraded, he asks Goans to be prepared for such hateful events. He insists that Goans may also be paraded naked with the active connivance of the ruling BJP government and the police.
But the truth is that is the BJP government in Goa is more educated and recognizes the unique character and personality of Goa. It was the late Manohar Parrikar who made it clear that Goa was a special state and the Hindutva ideology could not be imposed or even justified in Goa. This is probably because Catholics account for over 25% of the population at present.
He realized that Goan Hindus alone could not bring the BJP to political power to form a government. Parrikar in fact had special regard for Goan Catholics and went to the extent of offering them election tickets when they were denied these by the Congress. Of the 27 MLAs in the legislative assembly 15 are Catholics. Indeed, it is Atanasio “Babush” Monserrate who saved the Pramod Sawant government by getting 11 Congress MLAs, including Digambar Kamat and Pratap Singh Raojhi Rane to defect to the BJP.
It is unfortunate that a few fanatic Catholics should instigate communal tensions between the Hindus and minorities in Goa. It is a pleasant surprise that the growing number of Muslims, who now are more than 20% of the population, have no conflicts with the Hindu majority parties. Ironically, their main clashes are with Catholics opposing allotment of space for Muslim burial grounds and madrassas.

FRANK SHREHA DARGALKAR
IT IS Shreha Dargalkar Pereira’s passionate address on YouTube which has hit out at both followers Fr Bolmox and the fake Shivbhakts of Goas. She warns these Shivbhakts not to start any goondagiri inn the name of Shivaji Maharaj whom most Goans revere. She points out that instigating communal riots would be insulting the memory of a great king and human being. She praised Shivaji Maharaj and told the lunatics and fanatics that they should honor Shivaji Maharaj with positive secular action and not disgrace his memory.
Similarly she cautions Fr Bolmox followers from making comments about Hindu gods and leaders like Shivaji Maharaj. She also stressed again and again that Fr Bolmox has apologized his remarks apology should be accepted with grace. Where was the need for the Vasco police to file an FIR report and summon the parish priest to the police station? Is this not taking minor matters to extremes?
India’s 77th Independence Day is an occasion for re-enforcing the uniqueness of Goa. The sense of solidarity between all the three major communities. The true spirit of Goa is in the festivals and zatras in which members of Goan communities participate wholeheartedly. Take the Milagres Church in Mapusa where oil is offered to Our Lady of Milagres and this is actually a Hindu tradition, adopted by the church. At the Zagor jatra held during Holi, the chief celebrant is always a Catholic. Indeed, celebrity singer Remo Fernandes is a proud devotee at the Zagor jatra. The original Goenkars of Cuncolim both Catholic and Hindu are given preference of worship at the Shantadurga Temple in Fatorpa.
In this absurd fracas it is Dr Oscar Rebello too in his YouTube address who has blasted Fr Bolmax. The popular doctor and keen political man has urged Goan Christians to participate in creating communal harmony. The problem actually is not the church but individual parish priests, he says. There are many parish priests who are still attached to Portugal and do not recognize the total spirit of traditional Goenkarponn.
WE say on this, the 77th Independence Day, every Goan take a pledge not to let Goa become another Manipur or Haryana. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad, the Bajrang Dal and other fanatic Hindu organizations like the Ram Sena must be controlled, but equally the Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrao should ask his parish priests to exercise utmost restraint. Fortunately, the maulana have accepted the spirit of Goa. Goa is the only state where Muslims have to undergo a civil marriage, before the religious ceremony can be performed. Jai Secular Goa, Jai India!