CUTTING FROM THE
“The COLONIAL
TIMES”,
(Africa’s
largest selling Indian weekly)
Caption
PORTUGUESE METROPOLITAN STATUS FOR GOA
Bombay Dec 18. 1946
Following a dispatch in the “Times of India”. The Governor General of Goa has announced that, The government of Portugal has passed a political statute for Goa that would give it the same status as province of Metropolitan Portugal
(Reuters.)
1st Reaction
PORTUGUESE
METROPOLITAN STATUS FOR GOA
Sir
– The caption strikes one in the eye as pompous and which is the outcome of
storms in a teacup of the Portuguese bureaucracy as circumstantial evidence
certainly suggest.
All
the foreigners will agree that the Portuguese are a stupid race and to confirm
their stupidity, here is their latest declaration; GOA HAS A STATUS OF
METROPOLITAN PORTUGAL”. This
declaration is meaningless and un-understandable.
Gomantak differs from Portugal as the North Pole does from the South
Pole. The Gomantakies know no other
home or metropolis, save the few yards of space, which they possess in the land
of sorrow and tears. Gomantak’s
freedom cannot exist within the orbit of imperialism, Portuguese metropolitan
status or any other status within the foreign structure is wholly inapplicable
to Gomantak.
The struggle of Gomantak is for liberty to roam freely in its land. Indulge in every kind of civil liberty, give expression to every kind of thought and action, and to promulgate social, economic and cultural activity. Does this exist today? Not even a ghost of it and instead of ushering this prosperity, new chains of slavery are replaced for the few snapped by the national movement !!
Jai Hind
Yours etc.
Elburgon.
4th January 1947
PORTUGUESE
METROPOLITAN STATUS FOR GOA
Sir,
-- I came across a letter
dated the 4th January, written by Mr. Eddie Pereira, on the above
subject, published in your Colonial Times of 18th January.
From
what your correspondent is writing it would appear that he is a hater of
European races and is out to create some mischief.
The Portuguese are not a stupid race as described by your correspondent. They are a Noble race and well known in the history of the
world.
It
is universally known that Portugal is the oldest ally of Great Britain and as
such she fought by her side in the World War I. In the World War II also she
helped Great Britain by giving some territorial facilities, and sheltering many
refugees of the Allies.
The
inhabitants of Goa are unanimously happy at the news of political statute
granted to Goa by the Lisbon government by which Goa becomes a Province of
Portugal and they love Portugal more than ever.
The international laws cannot easily be understood by the layman.
It is absurd to say that the people of Goa have no civil liberties when
they all enjoy equality, liberty, and fraternity.
It might be rightly said that they live in highest Portuguese traditions.
If
your correspondent is still in obscurity as to the real position of Goa, he
would do well if he would be in contact with the Authorities in Goa who would
put him in the right direction. Further,
he should also know that no useful purpose can be gained by making a subversive
propaganda against his country on a foreign soil.
Yours etc.,
Kampala
4th
February, 1947
3rd Reaction
“Pro
Patria, Where Art Thou ?
Sir,-
Judas, I spit on your face. Pro
Patria, why don’t you call yourself Traitor?
You have not the courage to reveal your name or identity and ordinarily
an anonymous letter would receive but little attention.
Let
me get down and entertain your audacity.
1.
“Pro Patria” thinks I am a hater of European races – I am glad he has
labeled me so. He would have done
better justice had he referred to the dictionary for a stronger word than hater.
In 1947 only a traitor can come out in praise of Imperialism.
2.“Pro
Patria” informs us that Portugal is the oldest ally of Great Britain and has
fought by the side of the British in two world wars.
You tell that to your British masters, National Gomantak is not
interested. Our people have
perished of hunger during these wars and not even a cart load of rice was
delivered.
3.
“Pro Patria” says that I am out to create mischief.
If I attempt to speak the truth about the treatment to Gomantakies met by
their Portuguese masters, I should not be blamed for teaching the down trodden.
4.
“Pro Patria” says the Goans are unanimously happy at the news of the
Political Statute granted. It is
hardly necessary for me to ask your Gomantak readers to BEWARE OF BUYING THE
P.M.S. EGGS. “Pro Patria” thinks that the whole of Gomantak is void of
commonsense as not to understand the hocus-pocus declaration of stupidity,
delivered to us by the Traitor Floriano Melo and his chief agent in Kampala, Pro
Patria. If the declaration has
blessed Gomantak with civil liberties and chased away slavery, starvation and
exploitation why are our national leaders, namely Braganza, Dr. Ramrao Hegde,
Kakodkar, Loyala and Bhembra rotting in Portuguese prisons.
Does “Pro Patria” mean to tell us that these leaders are enjoying the
delicious recipes of Portuguese Metropolitan Status?
Liberty,
where art thou! I salute you.
Jai
Hind.
Yours etc.
EDDIE H. PEREIRA
Elburgon.
17th
February 1947
4th
Reaction
PORTUGUESE
METROPOLITAN STATUS FOR GOA
Sir,--
What a plethora of slovenly ideas and slipshod equivogues can hide behind a nom
de plume !!!. The letter of PRO
PATRIA which appeared in your valuable paper dated 15-2-47 regarding the above,
contradicting Mr. Eddie Pereira and eulogising the Portuguese overlords, is
nothing else, but a sad lamentable boot-licking of Portuguese bureaucracy.
“PRO
PATRIA” means one who is in favour of his country, but your correspondent has
amply proved in his letter that he is ANTI-PATRIA.
His meaningless shibboleths in favour of Portuguese Rulers are like
golden crowns on the head of asses or pearls before swines.
What does he mean “International Laws cannot easily be understood by
the layman. Is he a supper-man?
If people of Goa enjoy “CIVIL LIBERTIES, EQUALITY and FRATERNITY”.
Then how is that your correspondent has not been selected as yet to be
the next Governor General of Goa?
Sir,
your correspondent is trying to dupe Goans in East Africa by silly garrulities.
If Portugal is the oldest ally of Great Britain, does it mean the recent
“POLITICAL STATUTE” granted to Goa by the Lisbon Government a
heavenly boon? It is merely a
deceptive panacea to subdue the flames of Patriotism, which are devouring Goa
under the pressure of Satyagrahis. How can Goa be a Province of Portugal, when it is the
legitimate part and parcel of India? Why
should Goans love Portugal when GOA is their motherland.
Sir,
Goans are not mongrels, but proud citizens of GOMANTAK and as such they shall
fight tooth and nail to attain INDEPENDENCE which is the birth right of all
civilized people of this world. Woe
to him who is out to sell his birthright like Esau for a mess of pottage.
Whoever is untrue to his country is a fifth columnist and a saboteur,
otherwise, one would never allow to oscillate the pendulum of one’s mind in
favour of his own country! Sir, Mr.
Eddie Pereira is not a hater of Europeans but a “Nationalist”, of brave
mettle and as such he is always true to his motherland GOMANTAK-JAI-HIND
Yours etc.,
Jinja
19th February 1947