JACK SIKER & PURSHOTTAM KAKODKAR: HOW THE OPPOSITION IN GOA RULED GOAN HEARTS

On January 16, 2020 Goa will commemorate the 53 Anniversary

of the Goa’s Opinion Poll Day as “Goencho Osmitai Dis” (Goans Identity Day). It is necessary to understand the real meaning of Opinion Poll correctly regarded in terms of relative importance and salute the memory who made great sacrifice indefinitely and secure separate identity for Goa and Goans more so because this unique is threatened today. Dr Jack de Sequeira who was the founder president of the United Goans Party, the first opposition leader of the first legislative assembly in the history of Goa, a Man who worked tough during the opinion poll and rightly established as the real architect of this most crucial movement in Goa’s history and honours as the Father of Opinion Poll of Goa 1967.

The Portuguese had ruled over 450 years, and In 1961 when Goa became a part of India, it was an uncertainty of what was to be its future. Some politicians of Maharashtra and Karnataka found strong support for a merger of our then Union Territory of Goa. The (MGP) Maharastrawadi Gomantak Party won Goa’s first election to the Legislative Assembly and no sooner the Maharashtra lobby duly supported by Goa’s first Chief Minister Mr. Dayanand Bandodkar betrayed its one point agenda went pro-active in Delhi explaining the mandate as a pro-merger vote and demanding that Goa be merged into Maharashtra immediately.

The Goan assembly passed a resolution to this effect on 21st January 1965, and it was late Dr Sequeira who opposed this proposal tooth and nail and expressed his strong resentment to surrender of Goa’s political, cultural, Language, social and economical identity to Maharashtra by walking out of the Assembly.

Dr Sequeira who led the strong opposition in the Goa Assembly, was able to persuade in New Delhi that local assembly result did not reflect the Goan’s mind as merger, and that the issue be finalised by a separate referendum. At this time he found an able support of Mr Purshottam Kakodkar & others and finally the Union Cabinet took a final decision on 17th October, 1966 to hold the historic Opinion Poll on 16th January, 1967 in Indian History.

On December 1 1966, Goa Daman and Diu Opinion Poll Act 1966, had been passed, and on December 3 1966, the then Chief Minister of Goa, Shri Dayanand Bandodkar submitted his resignation and then Governor had dissolved the Assembly. The people’s view at that poin of time was not firmly in favour of holding the Opinion Poll but Dr. Sequeira was so confident that he did not only work hard but sailed the Goan ship to victory. It was really a do or die situation for the Opposition Leader to sore the Goan Identity. His wake up call to protect Goa’s Osmitai was so powerful that the Goans were forced to wake up from sleep to defeat the pro merger forces.

The people of Salcete gave the much needed boost to safe guard “Amchi Osmitai”. The result was declared on January 19, 1967. The anti merger forces won it for Goa with a lead margin of 34,000 votes. Dr Sequeira was declared as the Father of Opinion Poll of Goa 1967.

By ROBERT RODRIGUES