A Mangaluru-based rationalist has written an open letter to TV Mohandas Pai over the latter’s recent remarks about Tipu Jayanti.
Narendra Nayak, president of the Federation of Indian Rationalists’ Association, wrote an open letter to Mohandas on Thursday, and released it to the media and posted it on his Facebook wall simultaneously.
While stating that he himself was opposed to the celebration of a festival with public money, Narendra questioned Mohandas’ invocation of his Konkani identity to oppose Tipu Jayanti.
Earlier this week, Mohandas had said, “The government, which is there to rule the entire state, they must never do something which divides people - divides Coorgis, Mangalurean Christians other communities.”
Making these remarks on the sidelines of an RSS programme, Mohandas added: “I am a Konkani and I feel very offended that the government is celebrating somebody (Tipu) who did wrong to both communities.”
Both Narendra and Mohandas were born into the Gowda Saraswath Brahmin (GSB) community, which is spread across Goa, Maharashtra and coastal Karnataka. The community is a meat-eating Brahmin community.
Questioning Mohandas for using his Konkani identity, Narendra said: “If you go back in history to March 2016 (not a very remote past event), you will see that a Konkani speaking GSB, Bhaktha of Venkatramana, Shishya of Kashi math for questioning the irregularities there. I have not heard anything about that issue from you or anyone else for that matter! It is not too late to break the silence. However, I presume that your silence on this issue is because the culprits are belonging to a community which you associate with Tipu!”
Narendra also questioned Mohandas’ motives for opposing Tipu Jayanti, alleging that the latter was a “BJP sympathizer”. He also asked Mohandas to “go back a little in history” and see that the Konkanis were driven off from Goa by the Portuguese, who allegedly carted off a lot of relics to Lisbon, and urged the BJP government in Goa to bring them back, aided by ministers in the union cabinet who belonged to several Saraswath Brahmin caste denominations.
He also brought up another prominent GSB man, wilful defaulter Vijay Mallya, who bought Tipu’s sword some years ago.
Responding to the points raised by Narendra, Mohandas told The News Minute that he was making “vague accusations” without addressing the real issue, which was that Tipu was a “tyrant”. He accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of “playing communal politics” and “dividing people”.
Below is Mohandas’ response to Narendra:
On the GSB/Konkani question:
MP: I am not speaking about GSBs, I am not speaking for any community.
On Vinayak Baliga:
I am not interested in such people.
Being associated with a fraudulent company run by GSBs:
He is mentioning a company with which I am not associated….
He is making personal remarks without coming to the point. A legitimate democratic government is trying to play communal politics. Siddarmaaiah is playing communal politics and dividing people. Tipu killed Kodavas, Konkanis and Mangalorean Catholics. They are very angry and upset.
On being a BJP sympathiser:
He is lying through his teeth, asking me to go to Lisbon. He is making vague, ambiguous remarks and not adhering to the issue, which is that Tipu was a tyrant.
On Vijay Mallya:
I don’t know why he is bringing it up. It’s very silly.
Below, is the letter in full, along with explanations for Konkani terms used in the letter:
Dear Pai-mam,
Namaskaru. I am born to GSB parents though I cannot claim to be much of a samaj bhandav (community person) because I do not take part in any religious activities, which are supposedly the mainstay of the community, as I am an atheist. However, I was very happy that you have taken up the cudgels to set right the wrongs done to Konkani speaking community in general and GSBs in particular. I have also seen your statement to the press made about the celebration of Tipu Jayanthi and are opposing it because he has murdered thousands of Konkani speaking people. While coming to that, I think you mean the GSBs as well as the Roman Catholics too. If You go back in history to March, 2016 (not a very remote past event) you will see that a Konkani-speaking GSB, a Bhaktha (devotee) of Venkatramana (an important deity for many Konkani people), Shishya of Kashi Math for questioning the irregularities there. I have not heard anything about that issue from you or anyone else for that matter! It is not too late to break the silence. However, I presume that your silence on this issue is because the culprits are belonging to a community which you associate with Tipu! Again, if you go back a decade or so you will also see that a group of financial institutions belonging to GSBs – with whom you are associated at present – had gone belly up, defrauding thousands of people of hundreds of crores of deposits, and the majority of them were amchigele (Konkani people), who had kept the money there out of confidence in amgele jana (our people). I see you celebrate quite a lot of things with them without bothering about the injustice done to Konkani speaking people!
Your heart has been bleeding for the Konkani-speaking people and that is why you say you are opposing the ‘celebration’ of Tipu’s birthday using public funds which I feel is well justified. If you have been opposing misuse of public funds for something like a religious function, you can also take the example of Mysore dussera celebrations, pujas when reservoirs are full etc, which are performed using public funds and you would have been right. While I am not a fan of Tipu, I am also against the state getting involved in religion as ours is a secular nation as of now. Well, coming back to the Konkani speakers who were persecuted by Tipu, if you go back a little more in history, you will see that they migrated from Goa and became victims because they were hounded out by something else – the Portuguese invasion and the Roman catholic inquisitions. You would have heard all about the cruelties our ancestors were subjected to, how the temples were destroyed, the idols used and so on. They were also forced to eat beef and hence excommunicated by default.
So, I would suggest that since you are a BJP sympathizer or yearn for a place in their politburo, that you instruct the BJP govt in Goa to do the following:
Of course, I could also suggest that we authorize you to lead an expedition to Lisbon to bring back all things which belonged to our ancestors that they have looted and taken there. Maybe we could start a signature campaign for that. Since the present raksha mantri is an amchigele it should not be too much of a problem. Again, amcho (our) railway mantri who is also a GSB will support us in that by rapid transport of men and material. In the meanwhile, another GSB Deshpande, is in the Karnataka cabinet and is supporting the Tipu Jayanthi. So, declare him as jati padko and excommunicate him immediately.
Again, the narrative would be incomplete if I do not bring in another famous GSB Konkani – none other than your friend Vijay Mall-mam. What if he has gone to UK with thousands of crores due to banks? You were very keen to defend him. Some of that money has been put to good use. He had purchased the sword of Tipu Sultan and he is taking revenge on him by using it in the kitchen to slice vegetables for tendle upkari (vegetable curry) and mogge koddel (curry). That should be the ultimate insult to Tipu to use the sword which might have been used to slaughter thousands of our samaj bhandavs for this purpose!
Saprem namaskar.
Tumcho Konkani uleyatalo bhandu (your Konkani-speaking brother)
Narendra Nayku