Goa’s first CM Dayanand Bandodkar (Express Archives)
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant Wednesday denounced a remark made by Goa Forward Party (GFP) president Vijai Sardesai, who said Goa’s first CM Dayanand Bandodkar had an “allergy to the state’s identity”.
Sawant said Sardesai’s claim that Bandodkar, also referred to as “Bhausaheb”, harboured an “allergy” to Goa’s identity is not only a misrepresentation, but also an “insult to the legacy of Goa’s first CM”. In a post on X, Sawant said, “Bhausaheb Bandodkar never had an allergy to Goa’s Asmitai (identity)!”
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“Bhausaheb was a towering figure who tirelessly championed Goa’s identity and development. The real problem lies with Vijai Sardesai and his inflated ego, which fuels his delusion that individuals like him are somehow ‘more Goan’ than others. I unequivocally condemn this anti-Bhausaheb and anti-Goa rhetoric in its entirety,” Sawant said.
In 1963, Bandodkar formed the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), which drew its support from the Bahujan Samaj. In December 1963, when the first elections were held, the MGP won 16 seats in the then 30-member Assembly of Goa, Daman and Diu.
Bandodkar, a Bahujan leader who rose to become a mine owner and philanthropist, is credited with implementing crucial land reforms that demolished feudal land relations; universalisation of education; and initiating developmental policies in infrastructure, tourism, agriculture and industry during his decade-long tenure till his death in 1973.
Bandodkar was a supporter of merging Goa with neighbouring Maharashtra. In a historic ‘Opinion Poll’ on January 16, 1967, Goans voted against merging with Maharashtra. Prior to the poll, in 1965, the MGP government had passed a resolution in the Assembly demanding Goa’s merger into Maharashtra. But after the merger was rejected, and the party returned to power in 1967, the MGP backed away from the policy of a merger and supported a resolution urging the Centre to grant statehood to Goa, which was passed unanimously in the Assembly.
At the inauguration of a sewage treatment plant in Colva on January 16, which is celebrated as Opinion Poll Day or Asmitai Dis (Identity Day), the Opposition legislator from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Venzy Viegas thanked Sawant and likened him to Bandodkar for “keeping politics aside” and prioritising development. Viegas, the Benaulim MLA, recalled how despite differences on the issue of the 1967 merger, Bandodkar and then Opposition United Goans Party founder Jack de Sequeira worked together to build ‘Brand Goa’ post 1967.
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“I would really like to appreciate and thank Dr Pramod Sawant… He is from the BJP, I am from the AAP… I would correlate him to Dayanand Bandodkar… The projects and approvals that we have got in Benaulim… are all because of him. He (Sawant) has kept that decision of politics aside… where development is concerned,” Viegas said.
GFP chief Sardesai on Tuesday said he found the comparison of Sawant with Goa’s first CM “utterly amusing” and dismissed Viegas’s comment equating the two as “extremely superficial”.
Sardesai said Sawant has an allergy towards “Goenchi Asmitai (Goan identity)”. “Similarly, Bandodkar also had an allergy to Goenchi Asmitai. The only similarity I see between those two is their undisguised desire to not only undermine Goa’s unique identity and ethos, but also run Goa as an extended territory of Maharashtra,” Sardesai had said on Tuesday.
Responding to Sawant’s post on Wednesday, Sardesai clarified that he has full respect for Bandodkar and holds him in high esteem. “I have nothing against Bhausaheb… He made the first democratic revolution in Goa by giving tenants the rights to their agricultural land… In stark contrast, this CM (Sawant) has done the opposite by allowing individuals from other states… to purchase Goa’s agricultural land. In education, he (Bandodkar) set up schools, you (Sawant) shut down schools. So, how can you equate them?” Sardesai said.
“Sawant’s statement… is nothing but another tactic to deflect attention of the public from the issue of government ignoring Opinion Poll Day even after promising to restart the official function meant to commemorate modern India’s first referendum that resulted in Goa maintaining its distinct identity and saving it from being merged into Maharashtra,” Sardesai said. “I belong to a family that fought against the merger of Goa during the historic Opinion Poll… No one should attempt to teach me history or their version of it,” he added.
During an Assembly session in July 2024, Sawant had announced that the state would resume commemorating January 16 as Opinion Poll Day. At the time, Sardesai had claimed that former CM Manohar Parrikar had started the practice of celebrating Opinion Poll Day, but it was discontinued after Sawant took over.
“The only way it can be sort of said there is something similar is their stand on Goan identity. Bhausaheb was against Goan identity, that is why the Opinion Poll came to light… This government is against Goa’s Asmitai. They (the government) refuse to celebrate Opinion Poll Day or acknowledge the contributions of stalwarts like Jack de Sequeira. Without their efforts, Goa would have been a district, and today’s ministers would be mere sarpanchs… Let me remind him (Sawant) that even his own Cabinet minister said no CM should compare themselves to Bandodkar,” Sardesai said.
Reacting to Sardesai’s remarks, MGP leader and Power Minister Ramkrishna Dhavalikar told the media, “I do not understand his (Sardesai’s) motive. We are first Indians, then we are Goans. We cannot compare any CM of Goa to Bandodkar. He was one of the tallest leaders of Goa. (At the time of the Opinion Poll), Bandodkar had immense pressure from top leaders of that era.”
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AAP Goa president Amit Palekar said that leaders should respect Bandodkar’s vision and contribution, but refrain from using his name for political gains.
Pavneet Singh Chadha is the Goa Correspondent of The Indian Express. His reporting focuses intensely on the state of Goa, covering major developments in politics, governance, and significant local events, which establishes his high degree of Expertise and Authority in the region.
Expertise
Geographic Expertise: As the Goa correspondent, Pavneet provides on-the-ground, comprehensive coverage of Goa's political, social, and cultural landscape, ensuring readers receive timely and localized insights.
Key Coverage Focus: His recent work demonstrates deep investigative capabilities and a focus on high-impact stories, including:
Investigative Reporting: Extensive coverage of complex events such as major incidents (e.g., the Goa nightclub fire), tracing the legal, political, and safety lapses involved.
Government and Law Enforcement: Detailed tracking of police actions, deportations, and legal proceedings related to significant local cases.
Policy and Governance: Reporting on the judiciary (e.g., Goa High Court flagging illegal structures) and the actions of government departments.
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