After the liberation of Goa in 1961, the Goans were greatly troubled by a leading politician, Dayanand Bandodkar who strived to merge Goa with Maharashtra. The danger of the merger was unknown to the Goans but for the vision of one great Goan leader, Dr. Jack de Sequeira who along with his likeminded supporters alerted the Goans. A battle was fought, between the good and the evil so to say, and on January 16, 1967 the truth prevailed, the fate of Goa was sealed for good that Goa remains a separate State to protect her unique identity, language, culture and the land. This Opinion Poll, somehow, has not come to be recognized with due respect and honor to late Dr. Jack de Sequeira even 48 years after the historic victory.
Strangely, not long ago, a freedom fighter stated that it is a mistake to call Dr. Jack de Sequeira “Father of the Opinion Poll.” Not to the surprise of many as well, another life-size statue of the politician who fought against the interest of Goa and the Goans was put up at the assembly complex to honor Dayanand Bandodkar conveniently holding back the statue of Dr. Jack de Sequeira as if to snub him.
In the 2012 assembly elections Manohar Parrikar had made many promises, if one may recall to honor Dr. Jack de Sequeira with his statue was one among them. But why will Parrikar fulfill this promise being in the Bharatiya Janata Party which is well known for its communal functioning? It remains unfulfilled till date against his given assurance which reflects on his unfaithfulness.
If we look back at the political history of Goa, while the Congressmen were in power holding on to the Chief Minister’s chair by their turn for more than 3 decades they never even thought of Dr. Jack de Sequeira leave aside installing his statue to honor him for his indebted contribution to Goa. But on his Birth Centenary, only lip tributes were paid at a private function with no mention of demand that the Goa govt. recognize and honor Dr. Jack de Sequeira with the due respect he deserves. Is he looked down because Dr. Jack de Sequeira is of the Christian community considered a second class citizen of India?
