BELAGAVI
After a long yet patient wait of a little under 400 years since the Konkani speaking Catholics of Goan origin left Goa to settle across the upper ghats region in Kolhapur and Belagavi districts, there is a huge reversal being witnessed in Goa.
In another historic occasion, a managing committee backed by these Goan settlers was elected on the Comunidade de Chorao. This is merely after a week when these Goan settlers backed committee was elected on Comunidade Fraternal de Aldona.
About 50 gaoncars from Gadhinglaj, Ichalkaranji, Madyal, Kolhapur and other places descended upon Chorao Sunday morning to exercise their franchise to elect the new committee. However, as there was no opposition panel, the panel headed by Polycarpo D’souza was elected unopposed. Polycarpo was elected as the new president.
Edmond Rodrigues (vice president), Anthony Noronha (Attorney), Savio D’mello (Treasurer), Michael Saby D’mello (Asst Treasurer) and William Rodrigues (Asst treasurer were the other members of the committee. Among these Edmond and William Rodrigues hail from Madyal village and have settled back in Goa.
“Though our comunidade has huge stretches of lands, most of it is now under tenancy, including constructed houses. Corrupt practices have led to the huge loss of lands. This also involved politicians. We have been fighting to save the land of our ancestors. With the support of our fellow gaoncars, our fight against corruption has been strengthened. We will keep fighting to save every inch of our land,” Polycarpo D'souza said.
Ecstatic after the historic and memorable win, the Goan settlers have said that they would intensify their movement to reclaim their right over their ancestral land in Goa.
