A lawyer by profession. A strong belonging to the soil of Goa. Unquestionable bonding to Konkani and the culture of Goa. A studious and serious parliamentarian who spoke on national issues and equally espoused the interests of Goa. Shantaram Laxman Naik was the voice of Goa in the Indian Parliament. As a member of the 8th Lok Sabha, he introduced the maximum private member’s bills. He relentlessly pursued the demand for Goa’s statehood in the Lok Sabha and in every political forum. He is known to have made the maximum use of Zero Hour in the parliament to raise issues of public importance.
Baba started his political career as a ground-level worker of the Congress Party. After a decade of public service, he became the General Secretary of the Goa Congress and later the President. The Congress party gave him the Lok Sabha ticket from the North Goa constituency. The linguistic choice of my Baba was clear. It was not guided by petty language politics. It was Konkani First. That is why, when Shantaram Naik took the oath of office as the Member of Parliament, Goa’s language resounded in the country’s Sansad Bhavan. Later, he was elected to the Rajya Sabha for two terms.
All those who come in my contact describe my Baba as a politician who stood committed to the Congress party. We, in the family, have seen his dedication to the ideology of secularism and respect for diversity. He was appreciated by all those who came in his contact due to his straightforward and soft-spoken nature. I know that some people used to poke fun as he was perceived as a leader falling short in aggression. But my Baba was of a different nature. His style was quieter and gentle. However, his political interactions and parliamentary debates were rich in facts and content.
Baba was a family man. Despite his busy schedule due to his profession and political work, he was available for us. He kept me grounded and took special care to ensure that his position and perks do not inflate my ego. He made me travel by public transport during my college days. I am proud to say that Baba was a patient parent. He never hit me physically. He rarely raised his voice. He was always a friend, grooming and guiding me. Baba immersed in reading is an image which I carry from my childhood. Another image of him is of watching movies and being a lover of cinema.
My heart swells with pride every time I recollect Baba. He enjoyed the full confidence of the Prime Minister of the time, Rajiv Gandhi. My father worked with stalwarts like Jagjivan Ram, Indrajit Gupta, Madhu Dandavate and Somnath Chatterjee. He was a part of the Indian delegation for the special UN session in New York on disarmament. He played a crucial part in framing the draft bill that led to Konkani’s addition to the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution. My father’s name figured in the top ten foremost speakers in the House in a survey carried out by The Times of India during that time.
Baba has left all good memories for us to cherish. A highly respected legal professional and commentator. A politician with no blemish whatsoever.
