Remo protests, rejects state award
Sandesh
Prabhudesai
17 August 2007
Padmashree awardee and famous
Goan musician Remo Fernandes has refused the state award Rajya Sanman, in protest
of the ongoing rape of Goa by all the politicians.
Chief minister Digambar
Kamat had recently announced these awards to 21 living writers and artists, who
have been awarded with national and international awards till date.
The
function is scheduled for tomorrow evening, on 18 August at Kala Academy in Panaji,
at the hands of the chief minister.
While refusing to accept the award,
Remo has also requested Director of Art and Culture to hand over the amount of
Rs 50,000 to the Goa Bachao Abhiyan.
The other awardees include Padmashree
awardees Mario Miranda and Prasad Sawkar, Sangeet Natak Academy awardees M Boyer
and Tulshidas Borkar as well as 16 Sahitya Academy award winners.
These
writers are Ravindra Kelekar, Damodar Mauzo, Pundalik Naik, Prakash Padgaonkar,
Chandrakant Keni, Ramesh Veluskar, Meena Kakodkar, Dilip Borkar, Pandurang Bhangi,
Madhav Borkar, Hema Naik, Jayanti Naik, N Shivdas, Nagesh Karmali, Mahabaleshwar
Sail and Datta Damodar Naik.
In a letter written to the director, Remo states
as follows:
"On a personal level, I am extremely grateful to Mr. Digambar
Kamat and the others who proposed and approved my name for this reward. However,
as a son of Goa, I'm afraid I have the following to say.
I refuse this state
award or reward as a sign of protest against the Government of Goa as well as
the Opposition, which are both full of ministers and politicians who were involved
in the large-scale attempted rape and sale of Goa through the infamous Regional
Plan 2011, either actively or through their inaction; in protest against the Goa
Government's and the Opposition's blatant corruption, communalism, their failure
to curb and control garbage and plastic, traffic chaos, excessive immigration
and construction, destruction of Goan nature and beauty, and their continued failure
to provide us our two most basic needs and rights: good quality health and education.
I
had the privilege of receiving the Padmashree Award from the hands of President
Abdul Kalam, one of the most honest, upright, wise, qualified and dignified gentlemen
in India. After him, receiving a reward from the Government of Goa, whose sadly
incapable and largely uneducated ministers are nothing but lowly criminals, thieves,
forgers and turn-coats on sale who in reality belong in Central Jail, would be
an insult to Mr. Kalam, to the Padmashree Award itself, as well as to me.
I
cannot understand the logic behind the Government of Goa [whichever the party
in power] not ever recognizing or even acknowledging a Goan's achievements at
state level, and then rewarding him when he gains recognition at national level.
This tardy, awkward attempt is akin to conferring a kindergarten certificate on
someone who has already obtained a PhD.
I request you to kindly donate my
cash reward of Rs. 50,000/- to the Goa Bachao Abhiyan, as a contribution towards
their valiant fight to save Goa from the Government of Goa."
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