Floriano Vaz | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of Vaz around the 1980s | |
| Born | Floriano Vas (1963-09-08)8 September 1963 Gogol, Goa, India |
| Died | 20 December 1986(1986-12-20) (aged 23) Gogol, Goa, India |
| Cause of death | Murder (gunshot wound to the stomach) |
| Monuments | Bust at Floriano Vaz Circle,Margao |
| Occupations |
|
| Known for | First martyr of theKonkani language agitation |
| Movement | Konkani language agitation |
Floriano Vaz (néVas; 8 September 1963 – 20 December 1986) was an Indian writer and activist.[1] He was the firstmartyr of thescheduled tribe community who fought for theofficial status of theKonkani language during theKonkani language agitation.[2][3][4][5]
Floriano Vas was born on 8 September 1963 inGogol, Goa to Inacio Vas and Luizinha Araujo.[6] He belonged to thescheduled tribe community and had a brother and a sister.[7]
On 20 December 1986, a heated argument took place between Sudin Bhagvanta Naique, abusinessman and son of a prominent industrialist fromComba, and Vaz, who was his ex-employee. Vaz and his supporters had stopped Naique's car from moving forward by blocking the road withboulders.[8] At 1:20 pm, Rajaram G. Pawar,[9] ahead constable of theGujarat State Reserve (SRP), at the behest of Naique, shot Vaz, aged 23 with a303 rifle near his residence atGogol.
At 4:00 pm, Vaz died while protecting himself fromhaemorrhage and shock from thegunshot wound. The rest of his six accomplices were killed at Neura,Tiswadi. Later, amemorial was installed in their honour at the facade of the St. Lawrence Church atAgaçaim, Goa.[4][10][11][12][13]
The news was first declared byMark Tully, the thenBBCNew Delhi Bureau Chief, at around 5:00 pm, before any local news agencies reported it. This declaration sparked a riot inMargao, with people claiming that the news was connected to theKonkani language agitation, making it an obvious act.[8]
Aroundabout has been named in Vaz's honour known as the Floriano Vaz Circle wherein thebust of Vaz was constructed by former Goa Chief minister,Churchill Alemao atGogol traffic junction inMargao.[3]
Atiatr was produced by Menino de Bandar in honour of Vaz, titled "Floriano Vaz - Poilo Matir" (transl. Floriano Vaz - First Martyr). It included noted cast likeAlfred Rose,Mario Menezes andM. Boyer.[14]
In December 2011, the Floriano Vaz recreation complex was reportedly under construction at Chandravaddo,Fatorda.[15]
Acase study was done a year later after Vaz's death, in 1987, by Lionel Messias. This was published in the Gomantak Times Weekender on 24 December 2006. As per this investigation, the death of Vaz was a "cold blooded murder" and attempts were made to close the case. Messias stated that the day Vaz was murdered, around noon, Jose Francisco Gomes, a local of theGogol neighbourhood, heard a single gunshot and ran towards the three houses owned by theVaz clan. Gomes witnessed Vaz fallen on the ground, injured with a stomach wound. He also noticed aFiat car, possibly thePremier Padmini driven by Naique, parked besides the SRP van.[9]
Hours after Vaz's death, theMargao police station issued two official versions describing the incident. The first instance said that Vaz along with his three accomplices had restrainedsub-inspector Narayan K Yetale of theGoa Police and had made attempts to seize Yetale'sservice revolver, after which the accompanying SRP took Vaz down. The second version claimed that a violent crowd of around 400-500 had attacked the police who inself defence shot Vaz.[9]
Messias further states that the "whitewash" was unmethodical to an extent that Vaz along with the 400-500 violent mob were charged under Cr. No. 444/86 u/s 341, 143, 147, 148, 323, 353, 332, 307 of theIPC r/w 149 IPC for assaulting the police, setting up the blockade and grabbing service weapons. As per the scrutiny of thepanchanama conducted at the hospital around 4:00–4:30 pm IST, stated that no external injuries were found. Further, they mentioned, "Vaz's body was turned and except the bandaged area where he was shot, no other injuries were visible".[9]
A source later revealed that nopanchanama was done. Instead, the deputy collector and station police inspector were called by the inspector to witness Vaz's injuries. The inspection began before and after thepost mortem. Messias reported that Vaz's body bore 15 marks caused by a dull weapon, probably a policelathi. The longest mark was 23.5×3 cms which was underneath the rightantebrachium, which explained the defensive posture of Vaz while shielding himself. There were also red swellings on both forearms, which were 3–21cms long, showing signs that Vaz was brutally beaten.[9]
The police refused to disclose the post mortem reports. Vaz's family vowed that prior to the latter's death, Naique had promised to return with the police and teach Vaz a lesson. Naique had driven to the station and returned with 22 police personnel. This was later confirmed by police. It is also believed that anASI, along with two policemen, had arrived at the road blockade in Naique's car.[9]
The Vaz family had stated that the police arrived on the scene and questioned about Vaz at the first two houses owned by the clan. Upon discovering him in the third house, they dragged him out from theouthouse and assaulted him. His younger sister had pleaded with the ASI to arrest him instead but she was dragged away from Vaz. He was then shot atpoint blank range while defending himself, possibly with amelee (a protective helmet) which had fallen on the ground.[9][16]
The accompanying ASI then faked an injury, but refused X-ray when he was admitted at a local government hospital. He later yielded once themedical officer insisted. The prevailing night of Vaz's death, afishing net factory owned by the Naique family was set on fire. The next day, Bhagvanta Naique offered MLAs,Uday Bhembre andLuizinho Faleiro a sum of amount₹20,000 (equivalent to₹270,000 or US$3,200 in 2023) as compensation to the Vaz family. The same evening, another fishing net factory the family owned was destroyed, which forced the Naiques to stay at home.[9]
On 16 September 2012, Vaz's bust was vandalized by unknown individuals, theDalgado Konknni Akademi expressed their shock and distress over the matter and asked the state government to take strict action on those who were responsible and rebuild the sculpture as fast as possible.[17]
On 21 December 2015, at Vaz's 29thdeath anniversary, his brother, several well wishers and relatives paid floral tributes to the bust atGogol traffic junction. Thescheduled tribe association president, Camilo Barretto[18] demanded immediate resignation of thenBicholimM.L.A,Naresh Sawal from theGoa Legislative Assembly and appealed that he may migrate toMaharashtra for demanding equal official status for theMarathi language.[2] Barretto further demanded that theGovernment of Goa should provide jobs to Vaz's family, he also stated that many politicians in the past had made promises of providing jobs to the family and restoration of Vaz's house but till date none was fulfilled.[2]
On 9 September 2021, at Vaz's 58thbirth anniversary, Barretto and theCouncilors ofMargao demanded that for his contributions to theKonkani language, Vaz should be remembered officially at government level. Barretto further added, Vaz is an inspiration to the scheduled tribe community (ST) and will make sure that justice is served to the ST community in all fronts.[3]