the goan I network
MARGAO
As freedom fighters, politicos and citizens brace up to commemorate the 150th death anniversary of the great Goan nationalist Dr Francis Luis Gomes on Monday, his ancestral house lies in ruins at Colmorod-Navelim, with promises made by the powers that be to acquire and convert the house into a museum, only confined to the papers.
In fact, politicians of all hues have only paid lip service over the popular demand of citizens to acquire the crumbling ancestral house and convert the same into a museum after the great Goan. And, demands from freedom fighters to accord State-level recognition for Dr Gomes has not found favour with successive governments.
Then Fisheries Minister in the Manohar Parrikar regime, Avertano Furtado had even announced that the government had set in motion the proposal to acquire the house and convert the same into a museum. During his stint as an opposition MLA, Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai did not leave a single opportunity to fire guns at the Parrikar government for its failure to acquire the ancestral house for posterity. His stint as a powerful minister in the Manohar Parrikar government and then as a deputy chief minister in the Pramod Sawant government didn’t change the ground reality either. Leader of Opposition and Margao MLA Digambar Kamat had not skipped a single function organised by the freedom fighters at the memorial of
Dr Gomes in front of the Communidade building over the years, but even his stint as the State’s chief minister for five years didn’t help in bestowing the honour on the great nationalist.
Freedom fighters led by Gurunath Kelekar have been demanding that the government accord State- level recognition for Dr Gomes for his immense contribution to Goa, but in vain.
A proposal mooted by the Margao Municipal Council to acquire the house of Dr Gomes is gathering dust at the civic body since over half a decade ago, with successive councils only paying lip service to the demand to restore the house for posterity.
A glance at the Margao Municipal records show that the civic body had mooted a proposal to the government way back in February 13, 2014 for the acquisition of the house area measuring 1,143 sq mtrs. The avowed objective behind the acquisition was to restore the house into a museum, which never saw light of the day till date.
A visit to Colmorod revealed that the house is literally lying in ruins with the entire structure invaded by creepers and wild plants. Sources said the ancestral house of Dr Gomes is now in possession of a private owner after the rights were acquired by the party years ago.
Dr Gomes was a great physician, writer, historian, economist and political scientist. He was acclaimed for his outstanding contribution to the field of liberal philosophy and economics and represented Portuguese India in the Portuguese Parliament from 1861 to 1869.
