Parrikar’s answer consistent with defence policy of nation
Sometimes one assumes that because a friend is in a high place he can move mountains. This is how Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar is viewed from Goa. He is our man in Delhi and therefore it is sincerely believed he can accomplish almost anything, even force the Navy to open the island of Anjediva to faithful who wish to celebrate mass twice a year – for the feast of Our Lady of Springs on February 2 and the feast of St Francis of Assisi on October 4. There was hope when he was elevated to the position of defence minister, but it did not play out as expected for various reasons. In the past Parrikar had supported the cause of the faithful and in 2002 contributed Rs 25,000 towards repair of the church. But the compulsions of being defence minister of the nation are quite different and even he cannot do as he pleases.
The island of Anjediva was handed over by the State government to the Ministry of Defence in 1989 with a condition that the Navy would allow the faithful to celebrate the two feasts. In the same year the State government declared the island as prohibited area under the Official Secrets Act, but celebration of the feasts were allowed. After completion of the north breakwater linking Binga point with Anjediva island, the Navy withdrew this permission and it is 12 years since the feasts were last celebrated.
On the other side of the Anjediva coin is Congress MP, Shantaram Naik, who has been consistently taking up the issue in the Rajya Sabha. In 2006 the MP wrote to the then defence minister explaining the nature of the problem faced by the faithful and requested that the Navy be directed to allow the two feasts to be celebrated. In 2007 the then defence minister stated that Project Sea Bird at Karwar is a strategically located project of sensitive nature, wherein access of people cannot be allowed freely irrespective of any caste or religion. After Parrikar was sworn in as defence minister, Naik wrote once again and early this week received a similar reply.
Although Naik has been consistent in taking up the issue the touch question is why did he petition the defence ministry a second time when he was aware of its stand on the issue? If it was done to pit Parrikar against the minority community then it was in bad taste.
On the other hand the church and chapel are crumbling and in time will go to ruin. So what is the solution to this problem? The island is out of bounds. Twelve years have passed since the last mass was held and another 12 might elapse with no real change in the situation. Since the church is over 500 years old and therefore needs to be preserved, one could consider shifting parts of it to Goa. No matter how outlandish this might seem, one should remember that when the back waters of the Selaulim dam threatened to submerge the Kadamba-era Mahadeva temple, it was transplanted, brick by brick to a safe location 17 km away. If not the entire church, one could consider shifting the key elements like the altar, tabernacle and any other part of heritage value that can be moved. Another example is that of Pátio do Colégio which is was where the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil was founded in 1554. The structure was completely rebuilt and all that remains of the original is a wall which is encased in glass and the doors.
There is a point beyond which one has to stop hammering on the doors of the defence ministry , which, for the record, has been consistent. Instead, the archdiocese, the laity and leaders should look at the Pátio do Colégio and Mahadeva temple for inspiration.
