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Da Gama ray - The Pioneer

Editorial ()
24 June 1997

Title: Da Gama ray
Author: Editorial
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: June 24, 1997

It is indeed an irony that as the Indian nation prepares itself to
celebrate 50 years of freedom from British colonialism, the Union
Government, in association with the Government of Kerala, is all set to
honour another coloniser, the 15th century Portuguese plunderer Vasco da
Gama, as well as ceremonially commemorate the fifth centenary of his
arrival in India in 1998. Even elementary history textbooks clearly,
mention that the landing of Vasco da Gama at Calicut in 1498 marks the
beginning of a new phase in Indian history when the control of the Indian
Ocean passed into the hands of the Europeans. Indian trade and traders
received a major setback and ultimately the Europeans were able to
establish their colonial domination over India and most of the neighbouring
countries. Vasco da Gama's "contribution" to India does not end with his
trading activities. Apart from indulging in large scale loot, he was also
responsible for setting up Portuguese colonies on Indian soil in Goa, Daman
and Diu. And Independence for the people of Goa did not come with the
hoisting of the national flag on August 15, 1947, but it was as late as
1961 that the Portuguese could be forcibly evicted from their illicit
possessions. By their decision to honour Vasco da Gama on the advice of
some ill-informed bureaucrats, our political managers are ,all set to
glorify the establishment of a colonial power.

In Kerala's fractured politics, this unfortunate move has had the even more
damaging fallout of further dividing society on religious lines. Muslim
organisations have opposed the celebration on the ground that the Zamorin
of Calicut whom da Gama intimidated into submission was a Muslim, while
Muslim Arab traders ware the main victims of European control of the
sea-routes. This has led to a bizarre reaction from some Christian groups.
Now the BJP-RSS combine also finds itself in the midst of the controversy?
for opposing the celebrations and that has become a new political
battlefront. Strangely, the BJP-RSS stridency in the matter his been
termed "funny" by certain quarters. The argument that the combine actually
has "rather a lot in common" with Vasco da Gama in their opposition to
Islam is not only preposterous but also no justification for urging them to
stop righting for a rightful cause. It is another matter that not even the
worst critics of the BJP are in a position to argue that Vasco da Gama is
their political guru. But to take up the position that the BJP-RSS have no
right to condemn the celebration of Vasco da Gama's arrival in India is
coming very close to siding with the coloniser and the establishment that
he helped set up in this country. Colonialism in all its forms must be
castigated and every political party must be equally forceful in this
condemnation. Attempting to debunk anyone for exercising the right to
criticise colonialism is not any different from endorsing the exploitation
that colonialism engendered.


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