There was a mix of pleasantries and political cross-fire the moment news broke out of the appointment of Rajendra Arlekar, a former Goa Legislative Assembly Speaker and a senior BJP loyalist, as the governor of Himachal Pradesh. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant promptly tweeted a congratulatory message as a proud moment for all Goans that a first Goan has been appointed to this gubernatorial position.
Little did the CM realise that two others held this distinction earlier. Pages of Goan history tell us that Anthony Lancelot Dias from Assagao held the position of governor of West Bengal in the 1970s while Sunith Francis Rodrigues who has roots in Curtorim-Salcete was the governor of Punjab from 2004 to 2010. Dias played a crucial role in West Bengal and was instrumental in shepherding the state during a tumultuous phase of left-wing extremism in early 1970.
The point here is not about who is first, second or third, the question here is about putting Goa's history into perspective and recognising those having roots in Goa and created a niche in the books of history somewhere. Can they be disowned or their achievements ignored? There are numerous occasions in the past where state governments have heaped lavish praise on personalities with Goan roots accomplishing international fame. Lest we forget, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa was hailed for his Goan roots by Laxmikant Parsekar, during his tenure as chief minister, and went on to call it a proud moment for the State.
There is no denying the fact that Arlekar worked his way up from his little steps with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The BJP leadership has rewarded him with this post based on their parameters and strategies, and the ranking shouldn’t take away the sheen of the moment. The only downside here is that Goa’s history has been interpreted and twisted to make political statements.
The sad irony is that while Goa is celebrating its 60th year of liberation and also the 34th year of Statehood, our history continues to remain vague as a shadow. If the head of the State can’t reconcile with the pages of our past, how do we expect common citizens to pay homage to historic figures? There are many Goans who have achieved bigger milestones, but their memories have been buried in the sands of time. Personalities like Anthony Lancelot Dias and Sunith Francis Rodrigues and many others fail to get the kind of recognition that Arlekar got, or even something closer to that.
The political cross-fire over forgotten Goans will not help the cause. It’s time to get back to the basics and document all Goans who have achieved fame across the globe, including those who have served positions of eminence in the other States of India. The least that we as a State can do is to recognise the sons of the soil.
