MARGAO: The Opinion Poll Square near Ravindra Bhavan, expected to be one of symbolic signposts of Goan identity will be “inaugurated” on Tuesday, against the back drop of a “people’s inauguration”, that took place on Monday (See the box report).
The government has planned a grand function to inaugurate the Square by putting up huge posters having a photograph and brief write up on the people who played an important role in the Opinion Poll. But the master of ceremonies is quite clearly the Fatorda MLA and TCP minister V ijai Sardesai, who has pivoted around the occasion to claim the hitherto unclaimed political space of championing the identity cause
Three stalwarts who participated in the Opinion Poll along with family members of the other stalwarts are scheduled to inaugurate the Square along with Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar at 11 am tomorrow. The three surviving Opinion Poll warriors are Uday Bhembre, Gurunath Kelekar and Dr Harischandra Nagvenkar.
Interestingly late Erasmo Sequeira’s very young grandson will do the honours on his behalf. He will be flying in from Mumbai since his mother is away from the country, while Joaquim Luis Gonsalo Araujo and John Marian D’Souza will not be represented by anybody. Amongst the 38 to be commemorated are six doctors, four writers, three tiatrists and nine politicians.
Uday Bhembre said he will not attend the function as he feels that the historic and momentous day is not being given the due respect and honour. “All official State functions are held in Panjim including the inaugural of carnival then why should the function to commemorate Opinion Poll be held outside the State capital?” he asked.
He pointed out that Goa is a state only because of the Opinion Poll which paved the way to pass the Official Language Act based on which Goa was declared an independent State. “Successive governments slept for 50 years to recognize this great day and today only half-hearted efforts are being done,” he said.
However, Bertrand da Costa, son of C P da Costa who campaigned extensively during the Opinion Poll, said what is being done is good as the younger generation will know that there was an opinion poll where people did sacrifice a lot to save Goan identity.
Recalling that he was only around 6-year-old at that time, he says he will at least get to know some of the people who fought with his father as he does not remember many of them today and said the dead Opinion Poll warriors will be glad that their efforts are being recognized now at least.
Dr Luis Proto Barbosa’s son Dr Noel Barbosa said such functions will help the generation born after Opinion Poll know how people fought to retain the Goan identity which is fast being lost now as the younger generation is not so bothered about the Goan identity but more attracted to making the fast buck.
He recalls staying alone with his mother and two siblings in their house for nights on end as their father would not come home for days together. “At that time there was no telephone and not even electricity, so you can imagine what it was like at home,” he said, recalling that sometimes when they used to leave the house they would return by some other route due to fear of attacks.
“I would only like to point out that while the stalwarts sacrificed a lot, the family members also had to sacrifice quite a bit,” he said.
Sidhanath Buyao, whose father Ulhas Buyao played a stellar role in the Opinion Poll campaign, congratulated Vijai for compelling the government to celebrate this historic day. “I feel Opinion Poll should be celebrated just like the Liberation Day,” he said adding that nobody should try to take political mileage from this day which is so dear to all Goans.
