While in its 60th year of Liberation, our misgoverned Goa is now desperately gasping for a second Liberation.
We can never forget the yeoman services of our first Chief Minister Dayanand Bandodkar and Dr. Jack Sequeira as first Leader of the Opposition who worked ceaselessly to build Goa brick by brick.
Though Dayanand Bandodkar may have initially been for merging Goa with Maharashtra, he respected the people’s verdict and later with Dr Jack Sequeira as the fiery voice of the Opposition toiled with a vision and passion towards the development of Goa. Leaders of their integrity, honesty and commitment, we may now never see in this arena of political pygmies.
They both dared to speak their heart and always walk the talk. It is imperative that students today in our schools and colleges should be made aware of their very rich and invaluable contribution to Goa. They cannot be consigned as our forgotten heroes.
As a school student, I had the privilege of interacting with both Dayanand Bandodkar and Dr Jack Sequeira. I recollect with nostalgia witnessing those great debates by Dr Jack Sequeira in the Legislative Assembly and the pointed but witty replies by Dayanand Bandodkar.
Today the Goa Legislative assembly has sadly been reduced to a classroom kept entertained with the tales of Birbal being narrated.
