By Dr. Francisco Colaço
(A personal address to Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai)
Vijai how could you turn your back on your voters and hit them where it hurts the most, where they nourished the hopes of a new dawn, in their heart of hearts.
May I ask you, “Was there a critical moment, that split-second when you decided to embrace a double life which left us brokenhearted. I remember the times when humble and honest Konknibab Morais had turned down all your offers to lure him with the promise of rewards. People like Prashant Naik, Dilip Prabhudesai and Mohandas Lolayekar, your altar boys, regularly met us and they did mouth the most profane obscenities against BJP and Parrikar. But it is not only because of them that I supported the GFP. It was because of that towering figure Prabhakar Timble who as the chairman would guarantee that GFP would deliver on each and every promise –preserve Goenkarpon and keep BJP out of the reckoning.
But it was important for you Vijai to retain the Fatorda seat, a cliffhanger. Why did you make use of my reputation, to win votes, if you had already decided to leave us once the Fatorda seat was on your lap? Under distress, in a state of shock, in tears, I attacked you when it became apparent that you ensconced with Parrikar and Gadkari, on that fateful night, You didn’t dare to reply. I wonder whether my posts (since you remained incommunicado) made any difference. I challenge you for a one-to-one face-off and I will prove what I’m saying.
While I got overwhelming support from many I must thank my friends, my wife and two daughters for giving me their shoulders to lean on in this moment of misery.
It won’t be out of place to transcribe with a few changes what my elder daughter Elaine wrote on Facebook seeing me distraught:
“I have often asked my father why he takes such active interest in politics. He is emotional, takes things personally, often gets personal and definitely lacks diplomacy. And he tells me if you are not involved you have no influence over the future. His biggest fear is that Goa will go down the abyss and corruption and communal hatred will be the order of the day. Now that Vijai has made the ultimate U turn he is in a state of shock. People call it “progressive” politics. If it is “progressive” to make a turnaround on the very people who voted you in, then I don’t want to be part of this progress. So my question is what does one do? I really have no answer but increasingly lean toward the notion that “Genuine changes will come when some day humanity can look back on the institution called the State with the same sense of shame that we now have about “slavery”, both man made institutions.”
And I add, while thousands are aghast, I am horrified that a phalanx of people are giving thumbs up to Vijai’s somersault, “Vijai vodd zalo, amchem kam zalem”. It’s ok.
It doesn’t matter if I plough a lonely furrow. I will always hold my head high. As for him, his shadow will be his greatest tormentor.
(Dr. Francisco Colaço is a seniormost consulting physician, pioneer of Echocardiography in Goa, column writer, singer / songwriter / music aficionado, Mando exponent, past president of the state IMA, social activist, popular orator and toastmaster, family man, with deep faith in God.)
