MUCH-MALIGNED INQUISITION

The Inquisition reportedly introduced in the documentary “Goa Freedom Struggle”, now under flak of right-thinking Goans, apart from its  historicity of suppressing heresy in Spain where it was first injected, has a Goan History which comes to mind. I wish to set it down for the  intelligence  of the present generation.

In the thirties of the last century when I was at college in Bombay, the  intellectual, social, municipal life in that city and even  in the   then Bombay province was to some extent dominated by  Goan Catholics such as Prof. Francisco Correia Afonso, professor-cum-poet Armando Menezes, professor-cum-journalist Aloysious Soares, Prof. Patrocinio Andrade, journalist-writer Frank Moraes, Cardinal Valerian Gracias and  the two Bombay Municipal Council-elected members elevated to Mayorships, Dr. Jos Alban D’Souza and Dr. Altino Colaco, one after the  other.  To listen to them - admittedly the  most eloquent of those days was Correia Afonso  - people would arrive in the city from far-off suburbs and other parts of Bombay.

All this  admiration and praise  on Goan Catholics did no doubt cause a measure of envy in some otherwise very intelligent Hindus for them to raise the issue in Goa so as to indirectly denigrate the Goan Catholics.

It was the same in post- liberation Goa. The political power of the Catholics in the territory despite their inferior numbers and description as “Minority” was a cause for despair to the Maharashtra Gomantak Party in the early Assembly elections as to raise the issue of the Inquisition to veer the Hindus from voting to the Catholic candidates.

Similarly, the Inquisition  is now found to be a handy stick by the BJP with its demonic adherents VHP, Bajrang Dal, the RSS, to demolish the Christian-oriented Indian National Congress in Goa and perpetuate its imaginary ‘good governance’ rule.  Even to liquidate the Christian Goan from his territory.  The information that some freedom f ighters okayed the documentary script is shocking to me.  Perhaps  they wanted some favours from the Chief Minister or some crumbs to be flung towards them.

And may I know how the  much –maligned Inquisition is worse than the killings, acts of deprivation perpetrated by the Hindus against the  harijans and tribals  in many parts of the country? The Catholic Inquisition  had at least religion as its motive. Not Greed.

Lambert Mascarenhas,

Dona Paula.

Brave Indeed!

After reading the news item about medals being awarded to policemen for meritorious service, during the 43rd Liberation Day of Goa function at Campal- Panaji, it was rather unusual that the DIG  Mukhtesh Chander was awarded a bravery award for rescuing a girl from drowning  in a swimming pool in  a hotel.  It was a good moral deed as he knows swimming and it was a part of his job.  It is normal for a person who knows swimming to save persons from drowning and that too in a swimming pool where no risk is involved.

Bravery awards are normally bestowed where to some extent  risk is involved.  In this case what  was  the risk?  Saving a person from drowning in deep and dangerous well, river, sea, big lakes, etc., is really a risky job and rightly deserves a bravery award.

In Goa many of the starred hotels have swimming pools with pool attendants who performs such rescues almost daily.  Same in the case of pool attendants at Government  swimming pools.  If we take into consideration  the above case then all these pool attendants are entitled for such bravery awards!

Alex Rasquinha (Former SP),

Caranzalem.

Hypocritical

The unprecedented ‘underwater earthquake’ very badly hit Indonesia, Malaysia, India and several other nations with disastrous effects, claiming  innocent children, elderly folks and tourists.

My heart bleeds and the pain is indescribable. Many of my friends offered  prayers to almighty God. But we are hurt that eminent dignitaries, political stalwarts and Bollywood celebrities descended on Goa to participate in the New Year celebrations agog with music and dancing. Proving their hypocrisy and selfish identity.

The revellers could have emulated the good example set by the President of India, A P J Abdul Kalam, who chose to cancel all engagements during the mourning period. Almighty God, please open their eyes to face the realities of life. We must search our conscience and change our lifestyle.

CRX Braz,

Panjim.

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