By Rajan Narayan
AND a few stray thoughts for yet another Saturday. For a Saturday following the week when Narendra Modi claimed that his government was guided by the values of Jesus Christ. For a Saturday following the week when a priest from Goa, Jason Keith Fernandes, was at the right hand of Pope Francis during his Christmas Eve mass. For a Saturday following the week when the Education department asks students and teachers to attend a function on Christmas Eve. For a Saturday following the week when loyal BJP workers opposed the induction of a former chief minister of Goa, namely Digambar Kamat, into the cabinet. For a Saturday following the week when the Congress party was planning to move the Supreme Court against the mass suspension of Members of Parliament.
And a few stray thoughts on Narendra Modi’s extraordinary claim that his government is guided by the values of Jesus Christ. Obviously, Narendra Modi has woken up to the importance of Christians if not Catholics in deciding the fate of several governments in the country. This is a blatant attempt to woo the minority Christian community of India. The Christian community may not be very large in terms of population, in fact, it barely accounts for 2.5% of the total population. They are concentrated in areas like the Northeast and Goa. In the Northeast, the Christian population forms a majority and this is one reason why the BJP has not been able to build up any support in the Northeast.
The state of Manipur for instance is a majority Christian state. Kerala Christians also play a major role in presiding over the outcome of elections in the state. Indeed, the Kerala Church is back to when Jesus Christ lived and preached his teachings. The Kerala Church is predominantly a Syrian Christian church. The Christians however form a very important vote bank in parliament and assembly elections in Goa. It may be recalled that Rahul Gandhi was defeated by Smriti Irani in Amethi but voted back to Lok Sabha from the Wayanad district of Kerala.
In Goa also though the proportion of Catholics has also come down to 25% they are still the major vote bank. The entire Salcete region is dominated by Catholics. No party in the state can form the government without the support of the Catholic families in Goa.
The late Manohar Parrikar realized this and made a forthright effort to assure the Catholic minority that they were equal and respected. In Goa, it is the Catholic minority which matters so much and not the Muslim minority. Parrikar took the initiative of giving tickets to several Catholic politicians in South Goa. The experiment proved very successful with all the Catholics given tickets winning the election for the BJP.
The present BJP government of Dr Pramod Sawant however does not seem to have much use for Catholics with their Portuguese-time roots and connections. This is seen in the constant harping on Hindutva vision for a Hindus first Goa and India. However, despite the Hindutva preaching the present government at the Centre has begun to admit to the influence of the Catholics, even Narendra Modi has acknowledged the contribution of India’s Catholics in nation-building. Recently, in a speech he made he even said that his government is guided by Jesus Christ.
It is nonsense of course because as far as we know Jesus Christ never approved of the politics of superiority and hate. It is not a coincidence that Modi’s message about being guided by Jesus Christ came on Christmas Day on December 25, 2023.
A FERNANDES WITH POPE FRANCIS!
AND a few stray thoughts on Jason Keith Fernandes, a deacon priest from Goa, finding a place on the right hand side of Pope Francis. When Pope Francis delivered his Christmas address this year it was Jason Keith Fernandes who stood solemnly by his side. This is naturally great news for Goan Catholics in Goa and worldwide who are very excited about the honor bestowed on a Goan, Jason Keith Fernandes. Jason Keith Fernandes is from Dona Paula although he traces his roots to Divar island.
There are many Goans at the top level in the country and in the Vatican. Goa has the distinction of producing the largest number of bishops and even cardinals. One of the first Goans to be appointed cardinal was Cardinal Gracious who we know to be an exemplary priest. There are many regions in Goa like Ranchi in Bihar where a Goan Catholic has been made bishop. At the recent feast day of St Francis Xavier, it was a Catholic bishop of Goan origin who presided over the mass. Filipe Neri Ferrao is one of the cardinals of Goan origin.
Goa has the tradition of having the largest number of individuals taking priesthood as a calling with every Catholic family claiming a family member as a priest and/or nun. Historically Goan families contributed one son to the deaneries. There are also many Goans in the Jesuits and Don Bosco orders.
ABANDONED BABY AT PARRIKAR’S SAMADHI!
AND a few stray thoughts on a new born baby girl found abandoned near the Manohar Parrikar Smriti Sthal at Miramar beach on December 25, that is Christmas Eve. A sweeper, while cleaning the area, noticed the baby and immediately informed the police. The Panaji police took possession of the baby and shifted it to the Goa Medical College & Hospital (GMC), Bambolim. The baby is doing well and is being kept under observation, said the police, adding that efforts are on to identify the person who abandoned the baby.
Initially, police examined the CCTV camera footage installed at the Manohar Parrikar Smriti Sthal but it turned out to be of no use for there was no external storage facility in place. However, the police are hoping for a lead through CCTV cameras installed under the Smart City Panaji project. Reacting to reports of the abandoned baby, Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao said, “Abandoned baby girl and missing hard-disk of CCTV camera at Miramar is a direct reflection of the BJP government which functions with empty coffers and hollow promises. The entire administration is operating on imagination and guesswork. My prayers for the good health of the baby girl.”
This is not an isolated incident and there are many cases of mothers abandoning their new born or month-old babies. The problem is that most of these unmarried mothers are from the minority Catholic community. Unlike more conservative Hindu families, Catholic girls are allowed to date freely and they meet boys at several parties organised by the Christian community. For instance for Christmas Eve itself there were more than half-a-dozen parties and dances organized by Christian organisations.
There is dancing, drinking and fraternizing and in the hope of marriage young girls do go the extra mile and often get pregnant as unwed mothers from poor families. It’s often a case of desertion by a boyfriend once loving but no more as time passed by without marital plans. Of course we may not blame the boys alone for unless the girls are willing partners no charges of forcible intercourse may be brought against anybody. The Supreme Court in his judgement made it clear that if couples are in a live-in relationship or are close friends — the charge of rape is not applicable. In any case though this concerns the women’s police station, most of the betrayed girls are too unwilling to go and lodge a complaint for any kind of justice to be done them.
Goa is far more liberal than many of our other states in the country. What is needed however is a special agency to take care of unwanted babies who are abandoned. Ideally, the babies should be given to homes like Mother Theresa’s ashrams or other charitable organisations. They can be even put up for adoption. It is true that the girl children are safe in Goa. In other states they may prefer male to female child but in Goa it makes no real difference because both sons and daughters have equal rights to parental property.
Under the Portugal Civil Code daughters and sons inherit equal shares in parental property and this is automatically inherited. There is no or very little female infanticide in Goa, baby girls are not sought to aborted legally or illegally in any big way. However, it is true that with the easy friendships between the young folk in Goa dating is popular and often the inevitable happens. There is urgent need for good counselling so that both young men and women are guided properly and teenage mothers rehabilitated if they have nowhere to go.
AND a last stray thought on loyal BJP MLAs and workers on the subject of induction of former chief minister of Goa, Digambar Kamat. It may be recalled that media reports carried a news item about dropping of two BJP cabinet minister and taking on board Digambar Kamat as the first-time MLA from Salcete in their place. The moment the news came there was a storm within the BJP. Not only loyal BJP members but even the RSS protested. There was stiff opposition even to the induction of Nuvem MLA Alexio Sequeira into the cabinet.
WE learn that the loyalists are against dropping of any BJP MLA from the cabinet. As it is half the cabinet consists of former Congress MLAs. Examples, Mauvin Godinho and Vishwajit Rane, both occupy important ministerial posts in the government. It looks as though the BJP may need more time to induct Digambar Kamat into the cabinet. The eight Congress MLAs who defected are getting increasingly restive as they have not been rewarded for joining the BJP.
The biggest beneficiaries of course have been Atanasio “Babush” Monserrate and Vishwajit Rane. Not only have they been made ministers but their wives too enjoy positions o power in the cabinet. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has retained the PWD portfolio. I understand that Digambar Kamat was promised the PWD portfolio when he was sworn in the government. In the run-up to the parliamentary election, the BJP is keen on ensuring that the Salcete vote also goes in its favour.
PRIME MINISTER GREETS CHRISTIANS ON CHRISTMAS DAY…
“My greetings to the people of the world and to the Christian community on occasion of Christmas. It is pleasant for me that on such a special and sacred day, all of you have come to my residence.
“Christmas is a day when we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. This is also an occasion to remember his life’s message and values. He lived the ideals of kindness and service. He worked on making an inclusive society that had justice for everyone. These ideals are working as a guiding light for the development journey of our country.” He also noted that the Upanishads, considered the fountain of Hindu philosophy, also focused on realising the absolute truths of the holy Bible like the Bible of the Christians everywhere.
He said, “A few years ago, I had the opportunity to meet the holy Pope. It was indeed a very memorable moment for me. To make the world a better place, we discussed issues like social harmony, global brotherhood, climate change and inclusive development.”
“In a Christmas address, the Holy Pope once prayed to Jesus Christ that the people who are trying to abolish poverty should be blessed. These words of the Holy Pope are in line with our mantra of development. Our Mantra is ‘Sabka Sath, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Prayas.’ As a government, we are ensuring that the benefits of development reach each and every one.
“We see so many similar values in our life which unite us. For example, The Holy Bible says that whatever God has given us, it should be used for the service of others. This is what ‘Seva Parmo Dharma’ is. Truth is given the most importance in the Holy Bible. It says that only Truth can show us the way to salvation. The coincidence is that all religious texts focus on knowing the ultimate truth. This coordination will make the modern India of the 21st century reach new heights.
“Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas! May this festive season bring joy, peace and prosperity to all. Let’s celebrate the spirit of harmony and compassion that Christmas symbolises and work towards a world where everyone is happy and healthy. We also recall the noble teachings of Lord Christ.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s message on X (formerly Twitter) also messaged, “Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, commemorated on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration by billions of people worldwide.”