the goan I network
OLD GOA
The passing away of four times St Cruz MLA Victoria Fernandes, popularly known as Mummy has left a deep void in the constituency, with people opining that St Cruz has lost a caring mother, a crusader, an admired politician and above all a good human.
Pravin Chopdencar of Chimbel said, “She was a mother figure to everybody whenever needed. Even when she was weak, she came to support us during the anti IT park agitation. In her death, we have lost the comfort provided by Mummy. It is an irreplaceable loss but we are going to strengthen the hands of Rudolf to take her legacy forward.”
St Cruz BJP block president Girish Uskaikar recalled his association with Mummy during the anti PDA agitation. “Under her guidance, I got an opportunity to be part of a successful agitation. Her passing away is a big loss to St Cruz constituency. We always called her Mummy and she was our real Mummy,” Uskaikar stated.
An ardent supporter of Mummy, Jerry Vaz informed that she was a person with high regard for the environment and was very supportive to any needs of the people while also working for the betterment of the constituency.
Sebastiao Fernandes, president of Konkani Kala Kendra said that he worked with Mummy ever since she joined Congress. “She was a very good human,” he stated.
Sudesh Kalangutkar, Merces Manch Welfare Association president informed that Mummy was always with them, in good times and bad. “She always listened to us and supported us in many issues,” Kalangutkar said and added that in the future they are going to be with her son Rudolf Fernandes.
Renato Dias of Santa Cruz showered praises on Mummy for working for the upliftment of the poor and downtrodden. “She never discriminated against anyone and worked for the upliftment of the lower class,” Dias said.
Ladislau Gonsalves remembered Mummy for her roles in different agitations like Opinion Poll, ramponkar agitation, konkani agitation, and others. “She took up issues which others would not dare to,” Gonsalves informed while adding that his grandmother Paulina Estrocio supported her at the Ramponkars agitation, Opinion Poll, Konkani and statehood agitation. “She fought for genuine issues concerning Goa,” he stated.
Santa Cruz sarpanch Lawrence Rodrigues said that Mummy was a dashing and dynamic leader fighting for the cause of Goa and Goans.
Meanwhile, people from all walks of life thronged the residence of Mummy to pay their last respects as well as to condole her family, throughout Sunday. Some prominent personalities too visited including Mapusa MLA Joshua D’Souza, St Cruz MLA Tony Fernandes, Panaji MLA Babush Monserratte, Speaker Rajesh Patnekar, Tivim MLA Nilkanth Halarnkar, St Andre MLA Francis Silveira, former Aldona MLA Dayanand Narvekar, scientist Nandkumar Kamat, Trajano D’Mello, Govind Parvatkar, Goltim Navelim dy sarpanch Mario Pinto among others.
Chimbel local recalls Mummy’s support in troubled times
OLD GOA : Iqbal Shaikh of Indira Nagar-Chimbel was only 10 years old when he first had a brush with Mummy which left him in awe. But as he grew into an adult, the awe turned into an everlasting memory as Shaikh saw the steely side of Mummy as she slept in front of a bulldozer thereby preventing houses of poor people like him and others from getting demolished.
Speaking to The Goan, a then 10-year-old Shaikh vividly recalls that in 1974 when his family was relocated at Chimbel from Altinho, there were strong rumours that their houses would be demolished. “On learning of this, Mummy stayed in our house for three days to prevent any such incident from happening,” Shaikh informed while adding that later a morcha was organized at Azad Maidan in Panaji wherein Mummy along with her supporters were beaten up and put in jail.
Fast forward to the early 80s and Shaikh had grown into an adult and a demolition drive was supposed to take place during the tenure of Shitakant Khandolkar as Chimbel sarpanch. “We immediately rushed to Mummy for help who did not waste any time and came running to the rescue of the poor people. She slept in front of the bulldozer, which was brought for demolition, and others followed her,” Shaikh recalled while stating that Mummy further said that they could drive the bulldozer over her first before demolishing the houses at Indira Nagar.
“Rudolf also came in support and snatched the keys of the bulldozer after which the demolition was called out,” Shaikh added while stating that people in Indira Nagar will always be indebted to Mummy for showing exemplary
courage and saving their houses from demolition.
