NESHWIN ALMEIDA
MARGAO: Advocate Radharao Gracias remembers his stint in the Goa Legislative Assembly as an MLA. Shashikala Bandodkar, in her last stint as MLA, has raised a query as to why Konkani should be taught to government servants and why not Marathi since everybody in Goa knows Konkani.
It was then that Adv Radharao caught Tai on the wrong foot and ascertained to the speaker that it may be noted that Tai who fought for merger of Goa till then agrees that maximum people in Goa speak in Konkani.
“Tai was agitated in the house with my statement but she immediately put it behind post the session and walked to me and said that I need to be careful in what I say before you,” explains Radharao.
Radharao explains to us that Tai was a politician of a different league. “She never won an election after the definition of a politician changed in Goa. Tai was non corrupt, had no intention of vengeance and revenge and money was never the focus and that kind of politics has long ended. Today it’s dirty politics and her death more marks the end of that kind of good politics,” explains Radharao.
Radha remembers the time when she campaigned in Salcete and got the MGP candidate to beat Wilfred D’Souza for the post of MLA in Benaulim.
“People were irritated that Jack Sequeira brought Dr Willy all the way from Saligao to contest and the MGP was in power. Tai had a strong campaign then and brought forward the MGP in Benaulim which was one of her biggest forays in Xaxti.
Mama Cardozo remembers how Tai and the MGP propped him to fight a 1975 election in Curtorim hoping him to beat Jack Sequeira’s candidate. I lost by 4,000 votes and I told Tai that my ideology and my thrust for Konkani does not permit me to join the MGP. She accepted by excuse and never pushed me to join her party.
Digambar Kamat also remembers how when he first stepped into the Legislative Assembly Tai was there as an MLA and she was very articulate in her speech and was a great woman who took everyone in to confidence while speaking.
While politician turned activists Uday Bhembre asserts that more than anything the BBSM will miss the guidance and support of Tai as she knew the strength and weakness of the current day politicians.
“Tai and I were never in the assembly together. I also never met her when I would go to discuss the merger issue with her father. I was in the Konkani camp and her father was all for Marathi. But when the BBSM was formed I worked closely with her and I am sure, Goa and the BBSM will miss her at a crucial election time,” explains Advocate Uday Bhembre.
