Today would have been my 6th death anniversary. On 13th October 2008 while I was relishing the famed Chicken Xacuti at the Ashok Restaurant in Panaji a gruesome attempt was made by an armed gang of seven who had come fully ready to dispatch me to heaven or maybe to hell. It was, however, a very incredible miraculous escape from the jaws of death. My time may have not have been up. Fighting injustice is no easy task. One faces a backlash of crank calls, vicious anonymous letters and more seriously the risk of an attempt on one’s life. Over the last 40 years of fighting against injustice, nobody has been able to intimidate me. I have never been cowed down by any threats of consequences that I have had to face for speaking out fearlessly. Over the years I have never hesitated to take on the powerful and mighty over a wide range of issues. Be it the Governor of Goa on the Right to Information Act or the High Court Judges attending private dinners with Advocates, I have never shied away from pursuing a whole range of issues involving senior politicians to well-connected bureaucrats. Even that October 13th 2008 brutal attempt on my life has not cowed me down. I have had nothing personal against anyone about whom I have raised issues over the years. When highlighting an issue, it is bound to hurt some individuals. Have I hurt one too many? One has to have the spine to speak out against things that are wrong. I will continue to highlight any injustice that I see. Nothing shall deter me and my commitment in this regard. The risk of having one’s fingers chopped is a small price one may have to pay in the bigger battle against corruption and injustice. I am content that over the years I have been able to help a lot of people without being a Panch, Sarpanch, MLA or MP. One does not have to hold any position to serve those seeking justice. In recent years the Right to Information Act has been a big aid and a very handy tool in fighting for what is right and exposing the rampant corruption. Looking back over the last four decades, I do not regret having taken up any issue I did. At times one pays a heavy price in fighting public causes but one needs to maintain the spirit and keep on fighting. Life is a very short voyage, a journey, the end of which we know not. So let’s keep up the big fight.
Posted on: Mon, 13 Oct 2014 10:38:14 +0000
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