“Death be not proud….. for, those, whom thou think’st thou
dost overthrow, die not”
-John Donne
Goa woke up, 21st March 2012, shocked and sad. The
people may have had different views about him. To some a hero, to others a
controversial figure, but to none a
villain. He walked tall in stature with an air of dignity and Goan pride. A man
of integrity, uncompromising in his idealism and love for Goa. He walked a life
long path of resistance and struggle only to die with his boots on just when a
people, awaiting a huge change, had placed him on the pedestal of power. Death
be not proud, as poet John Donne wrote in his immortal poem. Death may have
physically snatched Matanhy Saldanha from us but his spirit and his idealism
will live on in the land he loved.
I first heard of Matanhy when studying at St. Xavier’s,
Mapusa. A senior girl student had met him at a camp in Pilar. She was so
impressed by him that she insisted I must meet him. He was a handsome young man
who loved social service and Goa. And she loved his idealism. I still have
vivid memories of the animated description without a trace of romance. I wanted
to see him but never did at that time.
The next I heard of him was when a resource person at a
leadership seminar in my village, Aldona, described a factual situation at the
ferry points at Cortalim and Agasaim, during construction of the Zuari bridge,
when people were stranded for hours one day, there being no diesel to run the
ferries. While everyone was either hopefully waiting for some solution or
shouting or cursing, there arrived one dashing young man, who studied the
situation and acted to successfully solve the problem. The man who rose to the
occasion, we were told, was Matanhy.
These were two firsthand accounts, from persons I knew, which
predisposed me favourably towards Matanhy, who was to emerge as a leader of
various people’s movements in Goa. The
rest is history of social activism and political calls, strong resistance and
long struggles: against destruction of sand dunes, against the polluting
effluents from the Zuari Agro Chemicals Ltd., in support of traditional
fishermen and other occupations, and so many other causes. He was a pioneer in
awakening the people to protect the ecology of Goa. From small beginnings he
moved to the larger causes: Konkani as official language, special status for
Goa, realignment of the Konkan Railway route, protection of the Khazan land and
forests, agitation against big polluting industries that were coming up
in Cortalim and Ponda, opposition to special economic zones, restoring control
of the Dabolim airport to civil authorities, etc. He did not achieve total
success in these struggles, but did make many changes possible, which, if not
for people’s movements, would not have taken place. His biggest contribution
was the inspiration and example of leading from the front. Today we have so
much of activism for green and clean Goa.
His political career was slow and steady. He did not make the
mark till ten years back though his political moves began thirty years ago in
the early 1980s with the founding of Gomant Lok Pokx. His fledgling party received a boost when the
late Erasmo de Sequeira joined it in 1989. But it never made an entry into the
Legislative Assembly. An honest man to the core, he was a misfit in the UGDP,
which he joined and on which party’s ticket he was elected MLA in 2002. His resignation
from the UGDP was a relief not only to him but to others who believed in his
integrity. But joining the Bharatiya
Janata Party was a move that triggered many thoughtful questions as well
as shocking expressions. Why had he to make such an about turn: from
championing regional parties to joining a national party? from a secular agenda
to a party with a saffron tilt? and more important, from being a naturally left inclined liberal to being a
member of a right leaning party?
The answer, I think, was Goa, Goa and only Goa. Having been
in touch with the people, and sensitive to their silent yearning for change, he
took the plunge. How long should the people continue to vote for a party so
insensitive to their pride and deeper longings? How long should the minorities,
specially the Catholics, continue supporting the so called secular party
candidates without catholic character? The defining line came from Matanhy: It
is better to live in hope than die in fear. He gave hope to many. He died
fearless.
I remember the incident at the Zuari river ferry crossing in the
1970s. Much, much water has flown under the bridge as many millions have
crossed over it. The gap between North and South has been bridged. The deficit
of confidence and trust between communities has been reduced. It will be good
for Goa to carry on the mission of Matanhy Saldanha: to save Goa, the land and
the people. May his spirit be with us to save the soul of Goa.
Published in The Navhind Times, Panorama 25.03.2012
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