Prof. Robert Castellino’s letter, “ Church should steer clear of Mopa issue” in the Herald dated 10.5.2015, with regard to the involvement of priest activists and citizens in the anti-Mopa issue and calling for “back-off” of the Church in the same matter is totally misconstrued.
Fr. Eremito Rebello is an individual citizen of the State. Because he uses the prefix Fr, he does not represent the Church of Goa just as the writer of the letter does not represent all the professors of Goa because he affixes the title Prof. Any citizen has a right to involve himself in matters of public interest and that is exactly what Fr. Eremito is doing. From where does Prof. Robert Castellino draw the conclusion of the anti-Mopa involvement of the Church? Prof. Robert Castellino has written earlier about the principal opposition being from South Goa. Even if the writer speaks in terms of North and South and majority and minority opposition, he should know that taking into account the population of South Goa combined with the population of Tiswadi and Ponda talukas from the North and only 10% of the population of Bardez and Mopa itself in Pernem and remaining talukas, the opposition to Mopa would amount to 75 to 80%. Thus the Professor will stand nowhere in terms of majority for Mopa. Any opinion poll will prove this.
Visitacao B. Monteiro, by email
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Letter to the Editor
The extension of Armed Forces Special Powers Act to 16 districts of Arunachal Pradesh is a manifestation of the fact that all is not well in the state. All the 16 districts neighbour the state of Assam where insurgency is on the rise and is a matter of grave concern. Further, the emergence of splinter groups of terrorist organization has aggravated the problem. The militant outfits have extended their tentacles via these 16 districts which is alarming and perturbing. The news that these militant outfits have set up training camps in Thailand is distressing given the volatile security situation in the northern eastern region.
The Central Government’s move to notify these 16 districts as “disturbed areas” is laudable. It is the failure of local police to contain the anti-national activities that prompted the Central Government to resort to such a measure. Albeit, the Centre has clarified that AFSPA will remain in force for a short period of time it will be an uphill task for the echelons of the security forces to ensure that no abuse of power takes place during this period. The security forces should now endeavor to complete the task of nabbing the terrorists and sanitizing these areas thereby affecting their return to their normal way of life at the earliest.
Kapil Phadte, Margao
“Shut your Mouth” – Who’s Lying?
With regards to the “Shut Your Mouth” and “Who’s Lying?” being reported in your esteemed daily of yesterday and today respectively, all I have to say to our CM is, do not speak these disrespectful words, if you have at all, to your colleagues in the cabinet; especially to a woman. It is not becoming of a Chief Minister of an internationally renowned state like Goa. I have a feeling that our CM hasn’t grown out of his Headmaster’s or Principal’s cloak yet, and is not in a condition to make decent, respectable remarks to womenfolk.
It is better if he restrains his unbecoming language which may make him the laughing stock of not only Goa or India, but internationally as well. He may not mind it, but Goa is a well-known state of mannered and disciplined, educated and intelligent people. Please help us maintain that status.
Agnelo Fernandes, Calangute
Modi’s clarion call
Modi’s clarion call to the ultras to shed the gun culture and put an end to mindless deaths in favour of peace, during his visit to the Maoist hotbed in Dantewada, is timely. The Red Army has proved to be a menace in the tribal Bastar region which has witnessed a string of naxal attacks in the past. It is also ungainly that the naxals choose to time their abduction of around 250 villagers in neighbouring Sukma district to coincide with the Prime Minister’s visit. Though the captives were freed, their act of beating a supervisor of a culvert to death is ghastly and deserves the strongest condemnation. One hopes that the Prime Minister’s visit proves to be a game-changer and the ultras reform their ways.
N J Ravi Chander, Bengaluru
Mopa airport
The Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar is optimistic in constructing the Mopa airport against the wishes of most Goans for his personal interest (Herald, 10 May 2015). He does not care about the movement of Fr. Eremito nor Mr. Churchill Alemao. He is interested more in developing the land he has purchased there. He and his family and others like Arlekars, Dhaulikars, who have vast amounts of land there will benefit, if their dreams of Mopa airport comes true. Therefore, we Goans, the Church and other politicians should unite and fight against MOPA. The Chief Minister is fooling the Pernekars to give jobs at Mopa.
Whiterose, Carmona
