By Rupesh Samant
I have been following Congress’ Goy Rakhonn Yatra from day one, when it started in Panaji. As a part of my profession, I have been regularly interacting with Congress leaders, who are crossing constituencies after constituencies with the message to save Goa.
I have seen how some of the Congress leaders have to apply band-aids on their feet after walking long distances. Their dedication towards the party is, without any doubt, parallel to none. Some have sacrificed their family time, profession, health, besides others, to be part of this yatra.
It is not easy to do it.
But I was shocked when it came to Cortalim constituency on Thursday. While we were busy covering the death of actor Nana Patekar, at the back of my mind was the news that Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivkumar would be participating in Goy Rakhonn Yatra.
I was eager to know what he could be speaking about. What kind of message would he be giving? I have never heard him speak in Goa, as every time when we look at Karnataka, the first thing that comes to our mind is the Mhadei River. I was part of the first meeting held back in the 90s to save the Mhadei River.
After the mortal remains of Patekar were taken away from Goa Medical College and Hospital, I went to check on the Goy Rakhonn Yatra. And I was shocked!!!
Karnataka Chief Minister’s Kannada speech
I have no hatred towards any language. Let me clarify it first. But I was shocked to hear the entire speech of Karnataka CM D K Shivkumar in Kannada. What was shocking was that when he stood up to speak, he asked whether he should speak in Kannada or English. Almost all said, “Kannada.” Then he asked how many people supported a speech in Kannada, and almost everyone raised their hands. The crowd was Kannadigas.
He spoke entirely in Kannada. We could not understand anything.
Goy Rakhonn Yatra speaks about the true Goan spirit. Two leaders, Yuri Alemao and Altone D’Costa, proclaiming themselves to be the torchbearers of the cause of Goan identity, are heading the yatra.
I wonder whether Yuri or Altone understood anything from the speech.
The signs were clear there. Congress will have to woo the migrant vote bank if they want to win in these constituencies of Mormugao. Maybe the Congress leaders knew this; that is why they thought to keep the aspiration of “Goan Identity” aside for a day.
Shivkumar speaks of protecting Goan identity in Kannada
The Karnataka Chief Minister, in his speech, as per the transcription provided by the Congress party, spoke about preserving Goan identity. I wonder which identity he was referring to when he was speaking in Kannada.
The Goan identity is our Konkani. The Goan identity is to understand Konkani. I can still understand someone speaking in Marathi or Hindi or English, as these are the languages which have been understood by Goans for a long time.
But Shivkumar speaking about protecting Goan identity in his Kannada speech and Congress leaders clapping to his speech was ironical.
Shivkumar spoke about protecting the environment
Just a day before Shivkumar’s public meeting, I had anchored a discussion on GNH about the water crisis in the state.
The discussion was centred around the rainfall deficit that was witnessed this year. The panelists included environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar, who had pointed out the diversion of water from Mhadei as one of the reasons that resulted in such a kind of crisis.
Who is hell-bent on diverting Mhadei? It is the same Karnataka government which is headed by Shivkumar. While playing with the water resources is stressing our Western Ghats, resulting in the crisis downstream, Shivkumar was advising us about protecting the environment.
He should have first promised that the Mhadei River will not be diverted. He should have admitted that, like thieves, his government has stolen water from the Mhadei basin and diverted it to the Malaprabha basin. Then only could we have taken his lessons on the environment seriously.
Congress’ alliance partner RGP and Kannadigas
The Revolutionary Goans Party was born out of pride in being Goan. The party is now an alliance partner of Congress. We have to see what would be the reaction of Viresh Borkar to Shivkumar’s advice in Kannada. If he has not understood his speech, we can provide him the transcript.
The common minimum programme suggested by RGP to Congress already has POGO and Mhadei missing from it. Now, we are waiting for Viresh Borkar to give his reaction on it.
Congress may have won, but Yatra lost
GPCC chief Girish Chodankar, in an interview with GNH, had said that they have appointed an agency to guide them in the Goa elections. If this idea of Shivkumar speaking in Kannada was their strategy, then it’s high time that Congress should change the agency.
Congress may have won a few votes in Cortalim with Shivkumar, but certainly the motto of the Yatra is lost.
