Meeting with Gaunkars
A day before my departure to USA I received a phone call
from Senhor Luis Antonio De Souza, from Divar that he would like to have a
meeting with me in Margao along with some others members. I’ve agreed to
convene at my Aquem-Alto residence on 29th July 01 at 8:30PM.
Subject of the meeting was to gain moral support from Goans
abroad for Gaunkars movement to save “Comunidades” and “Bandhs” that are
mismanaged by State Government of Goa.
Meeting was attended by the following:
Senhor Policarpo C. D’Souza, President of Association of Components of Communidades
Senhor Nelson Azavedo
Advogado Andre A. Pereira
Senhor Luis D’Souza
Agnelo Gomes of Goancauses
Adv. Andre A. Pereira spoke eloquently
on the history and existence of various Comunidades prior to 451 years of
Portuguese Governance of Goa.
Adv. Pereira explained the word “Comunidade” is a
Portuguese appellation for GAUNKARY. A Gaonkary means an indigenous ancient
association as a community of villagers and represented by men from the first
settlers or inhabitants of Goa inter alia with inherited common contractual
responsibility in a given locality. The unspent and unreserved revenue earned
during the year in the course of providing social welfare measures is shared or
distributed proportionately among components of the Gaunkary on a year-to-year
basis as provisions of the Code. The quota that is disbursed to Gaunkars is
known as Jono, which can be considered to be a sort of honorarium for common
service rendered to the Gaunkary.
Various comunidades own vast land, fields, coconut and caju
plantations, aframentos, and etc., which in turn leased to gaunkary to
cultivate. The profits to be shared with Comunidade administration by paying “Predial”.
The person who leased the fields, coconut plantation etc.
his full time job is to produce by cultivation. He is not allowed to work
commercially on other assignments.
Senhor Luis D’Souza explained on “Bandhs” at Divar.
Bandh is a dam installed to prevent saline water getting in the fields.
After 1961 State government of Goa (MGP party) disregarded
the Comunidade laws and allocated the land to the tillers on ownership basis.
The tillers instead of cultivating the land and share the profit with
administration of comunidade, they stopped producing, after a while land was
sold for real estate developer for huge sum. A total misuse. Some tillers got
spoilt became crore potties by selling comunidade land to Ganthies for exuberant
price, that same land they got for free.
Many freedom fighters and politicians quietly purchased
comunidade land for a small price like Rs5/square meter and sold the land to
ganthies for huge sum. They became crore potties over night legally on paper. A
total misuse of comunidade land.
In Divar according to Senhor D’Souza ganthies broke
bandhs intentionally and started
raising shrimps for export destroying the fields supposed to be cultivated. New
construction of bandhs where required was given to large sum of tender. However,
the construction materials used were so cheap the bandhs would collapse
immediately encouraging ganthies can raise shrimps.
There is no law and order local people are afraid to
question the authorities involved. Because politicians don’t want to hear
anything bad, instead they will send police force after those who point fingers
at them.
Agnelo Gomes stated during Portuguese era, Batkars and
Escrivaos misinterpreted comunidade laws and amassed lot of land. Mundcars were
given nothing except a small piece of land for zopdhi to live that was also
owned by bhatkars. And I know it for fact because I was born in one of those zopdhies.
Agnelo Gomes further stated Comunidade during Portuguese
era had discriminated more than 65% of Gaunkars made them to live under bhatkars
that was not fair.
Now the politicians are bringing ganthies from Karnataka,
and Kerala they give free comunidade land to increase the vote bank.
Agnelo Gomes stated instead of giving land free for
ganthies why not Goans from abroad allowed to buy a piece of land to build house
for their vacation. The price of land should be minimal. Also the clause to be
included that this land obtained from comunidade cannot be sold to anyone. This
way we will keep ganthies outside our territory and protect our Goan identity
that’s under decline.
Adv. Pereira agrees in principal and he’s all out for it.
Agnelo Gomes further stated that in Kashmir no one could
buy the land. Nehru had promised Goans to give autonomy. Freedom fighters
Purshottam Kakodkar and rest told Nehru to back off. Since it’s more Catholic
issue than Hindus. Catholics were pro-Portuguese and North Goa Hindus pro-India.
That was true.
North Goa Hindus even tried to sell Goa to Maharashtra so
much afraid of Catholics. Eventually many Catholics abandoned
Goa and moved to USA, Portugal, UK, Canada, etc. since Dayanand Bandodkar
demoted many Catholics holding government jobs only to be replaced by ganthies
corrupt IAS babus from India.
Agnelo Gomes further stated in order to protect Comunidade
we Goans must form a grassroot movement of enlisting militia in each locality of
comunidade and challenge the State government to obey the laws of comunidade set
forth before Portuguese landed in Goa. Peaceful protests and yet determined to
fight back against any force unleashed at protestors issuing strong warnings to
police force watch out we’re coming at you if you don’t behave.
We Goans must not allow any NGO’s and political parties
to intervene with Gaunkary movement. As I have been told in Goa recently Goa’s
NGO and politicians are controlled by vested groups.
Only Niz Goenkars Hindus, Catholics, Muslims, gentiles,
etc. together of villages to be
listed as peaceful militia. We must challenge Indian government that Indian laws
of buying land in Goa and rampant flow of ganthies on our soil shall not be
allowed.
A marginal of 5% ganthies will be allowed to work as
laborers. However, they will not be allowed to vote in our elections and hold
our land. All land presently sold to ganthies must be recovered at the price of
Comunidade listing then sold.
The meeting was adjourned with all parties agreed to
implement the proceedings.
Agnelo Gomes requests all Goans abroad to support this
grassroot Gaunkary movement. All Goans are Gaunkars and have right to buy land
in Goa at a nominal price. Square meters of land will be large enough and will
be determined by Adv. Pereira.
So my dear fellow Goans please support this goancause that
will protect our Goan identity from a distance. Trust me as you would trust in
Ve. Padre Agnelo D’ Souza.
Agnelo Gomes
USA