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Shashikala Kakodkar, a former state Chief Minister herself and daughter of Goa's first CM Dayanand Bandodkar, claimed yesterday that the "opinion poll" conducted by the Indira Gandhi-led Central government on January 16, 1967, was "rigged."
The "opinion poll" was held to seek a choice for people of Goa, then recently liberated from Portuguese rule, whether to remain as an independent state or merge with neighbouring Maharashtra.
Kakodkar, whose father then supported the merger, alleged that the opinion poll was "farce." Bandodkar was in favour of the merger of Goa with Maharashtra.
"The opinion poll was farce, there was lot of cheating. Luizinho Faleiro (a former Chief Minister) himself at a public function confessed that he voted in the poll despite being only 15-years-old then," she pointed out, adding that "Faleiro voted twice."
The controversy over opinion poll began yesterday during the 'Legislator's Day' function organised by the state government to commemorate 50 years of the first Goa Legislative Assembly session.
On the occasion, Kakodkar further alleged that people from outside the state were brought to vote for the opinion poll by the anti-merger lobby.
The issue raked up when anti-merger leader and former MLA Radharao Gracias criticised Bandodkar during the function.
Gracias alleged that "Bandodkar was all out to destroy Goa."
He hailed the then Leader of Opposition Jack de Sequeira for protecting Goa. "Today if we are here and celebrating 50 years of legislation, it is because of the leadership of Jack de Sequeira," he said, adding that "Bandodkar was out to destroy Goa by merging it with Maharashtra."
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who was present at the function, refrained from commenting on the debate.
"I am not going into the controversy. We cannot afford to forget the contribution of Bandodkar. I heard that one of the reasons why people voted in favour of remaining Independent was because they did not want to lose Bandodkar as a Chief Minister," he said.
Goa should at least now after 50 years be free from the Indian imposed transition government. Even Falkland Islands, South Sudan and others have more freedom. Goans in exile worry that Goa is being quickly Maharashtrized.
Smt Shashikala Kakodkar is wrong if she says the poll was rigged. The Maharashtra Gomantak Paksh (MGP), led by her father, Dayanand Bandodkar was funded by Maharashtra, which wanted that Goa shoud merge with Maharashtra. The rival party, i.e. the United Goans Party, led by Jack D'Sequeira was funded by Karnataka, which, having failed to drum up a demand for merger with Karnataka, saw to it that Goa should not merge with Maharashtra. So, neither Bandodkar or Sequeira won or lost. It was a proxy fight between the two neighbouring states.
Sashikala's family and herself are stooges of congress. The decision for Goa to be separate from Mah. was a good one. Otheriwse, we would be seeing MNS and Shiv Sena goons destroying the social fabric of Goa. The Goans (Hindus and christians) would have been marginalised.
RIGHT FROM WORD GO CONGRESS AND GANDHI FAMILY WERE AGAINST HINDOOS AND THAT IS WHAT THEY DID THAT.CHRISIIANS IN GOA FEARED THAT THEY WILL GET MARGINALISED IN MAHARASHTRA AND THAT IS WHY THEY VOTED AGAINST MERGING WITH MAHARASHTRA. ANYWAY PAST IS PAST AND LET US FORGET AND FORGIVE AND STAY TOGETHER AS INDIANS
You are absolutely right Kulkarni. The Catholics would have been marginalized and Goa would have been a small little district of Marathi dominated Maharashtra. A lot of right minded Hindus (note the correct spelling) and Catholics voted for a separate Goa because in spite of their different religions they cared for each other. Right minded GOANS, right minded PEOPLE. NOT just Hindus or Catholics.
Mr. Kulkarni, more then 90%voted in favor of independent state. Communal people like u see it as a conspiracy in favor of Christians. Lanat hai tum per.
Right. 90% vote could not have been rigged. She is trying to get some publicity.
Option of Merger with Maharashtra was rejected outright by a margin of more than 36000 votes ( total voters then were 3.76 lakhs and on that fateful day,16th Jan 1967, 3.12 lakhs voted).Even presuming that some underage individuals might have voted- and it is illegal for sure- I can't imagine that would have changed the result/outcome of the opinion poll. It is also possible that underage voters might have voted either for or against the merger thereby nullifying the impact of underage voting. The credit of the outcome should go to all Goan Voters who were intelligent enough to understand its impact.And I am convinced they were quite intelligent because within 6 months of Opinion Poll MGP won Assembly Elections again with the same margin as in the first Assembly Elections in 1963. So let us Raise a Toast to Goans of Mid Sixties and move ahead!
It's really stupidity on the part of Mrs. Shashila Bandodkar to rake the merger issue - and now after 46 years. Where were you Mrs. Kakodkar ? In fact all credit goes to DR. JACK SEQUEIRA, for keeping the IDENTITY OF GOA. We all GOANS are indebted and proud of you - Dr. Sequeira.
I don't what all is going on in this country. The current issues are not getting closed and the new one's are emerging intentionally or unintentionally. Politicians never have time for the real problems. They only have time for irrelevant debates and comments.
This issue is raised because due credit has not been give to the Dr. Jack Sequeira. The fact that Goa is a sperate entity today is only because of untiring efforts of Dr. Jack De Sequeira. While the traitor Dayanand Bandodkar was going all guns to merge Goa into Maharastra. Unfortunately, Bandodakar went on to become the underserving 1st Chief Minister of Goa while his daughter who is married to a Maharastrian is still drooling over that dream and nursing her wounds which is evident from her statement. I think she should quit Goa and settle in her in-laws place.
This issue is raised because due credit has not been give to the Dr. Jack Sequeira. The fact that Goa is a sperate entity today is only because of untiring efforts of Dr. Jack De Sequeira. While the traitor Dayanand Bandodkar was going all guns to merge Goa into Maharastra. Unfortunately, Bandodakar went on to become the underserving 1st Chief Minister of Goa while his daughter who is married to a Maharastrian is still drooling over that dream and nursing her wounds which is evident from her statement. I think she should quit Goa and settle in her in-laws place.
Banodkar was the founder of Maharashtrawadi Gomanak party (MGP) and it was his ideology to nerge with Maharashtra which according to me was idiotic. I agree with Radharao Gracis and it is indeed that Jack de Sequeira should be given his due respect and the daughter of Banodkar has no business to call the kettle black.
Nonsense. Ignore such comments.Shashikals kakodkar lost her mind. Press should not have published such news.
Firstly, this is non issue after almost 50 years. Secondly we thank who ever committed this alleged fraud, for we know what fate Goa would have met had it been part of Maharashtra. Goa is a gem of a place. We all love it. Goans themselves in charge Goa are lot better than big daddies from states like Maharashtra.
Who cares, especially now after 46 years, whether Goa should be independent or part of Maharashtra?? Millions of people across the world love Goa, its wonderful beaches and its friendly people. What we should bother about is how to provide good governance, enhance the infrastructure, provide high standards of hygiene and cleanliness, prevent rapes & crime and present a welcoming atmosphere to all visitors from other parts of India and the world! Tourism is one of the big money spinners and our stupid politicians should look to the future and do everything possible to exploit this resource.
These politicians will happily raise issues long dead if anyone is listening. The best course is to ignore this rubbish that has no relevance for modern India.
