The article titled ‘The Navy and Dabolim’ by Commodore Gilbert Menezes (Ind Navy Retd) raised few doubts and questions in the mind.
First of all Goans did not “insist” that Navy should completely vacate or leave Dabolim for good as long as sufficient land for present civilian airport at Dabolim for its extension, parking etc is released to the rightful owners.
In fact, not a single Goan said that he/she is not interested in safeguarding India`s borders although it comes to mind that after India became independent it did not have much cordial relations with its neighbors such as Pakistan or China in that manner. So how did India manage to safeguard its borders before December, 1961, when Goa was not even part of India politically? What if Portuguese had given independence of their own will to Goans and if Goa had become an independent nation like East Timor is today?
Coming back to “illegal occupation of Dabolim by Indian Navy”, just a small example: If one looks at the records of the Directorate of Land Records of Goa Government, Survey No, 49/1 of Mormugao Taluka of Dabolim village (Naquelim) area 29275 sqm, it is clearly shown Indian Navy in occupant’s column and there is no record of any mutation in that respect. This is just a tip of the iceberg and there are many more properties amounting to lakhs of square meters which are also appearing in the name of Indian Navy.
Our governments are supposed to do the right things and set examples to others and it is the responsibility of the Central government as well as of the State government to put things in order. And if our own governments are involved in encouraging anomalies, what will the common man?
I firmly believe that justice will prevail and the government will not stick to our late Chief Minister Dayanand Bandodkar’s phrase – “Koshil Tealea Zamin, Rahel Telea Ghar” but will follow the Bible “Give what is of Caesar’s to Caesar and to God what is God’s”.
