Old Goa
Stating that a chapter on Opinion Poll will be included in the school curriculum from next academic year, TCP minister Vijai Sardesai said that this is the first time that a government is accepting Opinion Poll as a historic event.
Sardesai made the statement while speaking as chief guest for the function of installing a bust of Dr Jack de Sequeira at Merces on Wednesday. The function was organised by Konkani Kala Kendra. “I spoke to CM Manohar Parrikar who is the education minister and he has assured me that a chapter on Opinion Poll will be included from next academic year,” Sardesai stated, while informing that Samant Committee has already submitted its report in this regard.
“Afterwards, there will be questions on who is the father of the Opinion Poll, why people treat him as one and if he had not taken the lead what would have happened,” Sardesai opined while stating that these are fall-outs of the principle issue of accepting Opinion Poll and celebrating our identity based on it.
Sardesai further stated that Opinion Poll is the important chapter in the history of Goa and people have not taught their children about it. “Historic injustice is happening because those who ruled Goa gave importance only to Liberation and Statehood,” he said and added that liberation would have somehow happened. “It would have been impossible to have a Portuguese enclave in such a huge country. So, bigger than liberation is Opinion Poll because if Opinion Poll had not happened we would have no identity,” he stated.
“Today, if an Opinion Poll was held in Maharashtra to merge with Goa, they would say ‘yes’ because brand Goa sells today because of the sacrifices done by those who fought to maintain our identity,” Sardesai further added while stating that today outsiders would readily agree to call themselves as Goans as being a Goan is beneficial and we should be proud to call ourselves Goans.
RDA minister Jayesh Salgaonkar, Dr Lily Sequeira, Merces sarpanch Pranita Kalangutkar also spoke on the occasion. Margaret Sequeira, Theresa Sequeira, Manuela Sequeira, Merces parish priest Fr Remedios Britto and Santa Cruz parish priest Fr Alexander Pereira were present.
