Erasmo de Sequeira
Encyclopedia
Erasmo Jesus de Sequeira (Died:16 July 1997) was a politician
, social worker and parliamentarian
from Goa
, India
. He represented the Marmagoa parliamentary constituency twice from 1967-1977. He has been described as a "man of letters"; and was known for his fluency in many languages.
and Lilia Goveia A Pinto. His father was the founder of the United Goans Party
and also the first Leader of Opposition in the Goa assembly
. He is popularly known as the Father of the Opinion Poll in Goa.
de Sequeira married Maureen and they had three children.
was the main proponent of a referendum on the issue of merger of Goa
with Maharashtra
. During the Goa Opinion Poll
, Jack and Erasmo were the leaders of the anti-merger faction. de Sequeira pasted posters in the dead of the night. He conducted meetings with other activists to plan strategies. He did the legwork that his father required of him.
During his term as a Member of Parliament, he advocated greater links with Latin America
. He was made the leader of Parliamentary delegations to foreign countries many times; especially when the delegations were sent to Spanish
and Portuguese
speaking countries.
Although Erasmo was a member of the Opposition, he was known to be on good terms with Prime Minister
Indira Gandhi
. During the Emergency, a large number of Opposition leaders were arrested. Erasmo de Sequeria was a notable exception. He became the Opposition's voice in the Parliament.
On one occasion, Indira Gandhi
invited de Sequeira to join the Congress. She assured him that he would be made a Deputy Minister. When he refused, she offered to make him a Minister of State. He refused again, saying that he aimed higher. Indira told him that she could not make him a Cabinet Minister due to his lack of experience. de Sequeira replied that he didn't want that either. When Indira finally asked de Sequeira what he wanted he replied, "Your chair, madam, your chair!".
, headed by Charan Singh. He did this without consulting his party members. The party members were enraged, causing the UGP(Sequiera group) to split into two groups: UGP (Sequeria Group) and UGP (Naik Group). He lost the next parliamentary election to Eduardo Faleiro
of UGP-N in March 1977. In the next Assembly elections, UGP-S managed to win just three seats as compared to UGP-N, which won 10 seats.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, social worker and parliamentarian
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
from Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He represented the Marmagoa parliamentary constituency twice from 1967-1977. He has been described as a "man of letters"; and was known for his fluency in many languages.
Family
Erasmo de Sequeria was the son of Dr. Jack de SequeiraDr. Jack de Sequeira
Joao Hugo Eduardo de Sequeira , popularly known as Dr. Jack de Sequeira; also known as Jak Siker according to local naming conventions, was a prominent Goan politician and is popularly known in Goa as the Father of the Opinion Poll.Dr. Jack de Sequeira was the founder president of the United Goans...
and Lilia Goveia A Pinto. His father was the founder of the United Goans Party
United Goans Party
The United Goans Party was a political party founded in Goa after its annexation into India. Its main aim at the time of formation was to protect the distinct identity of Goa and the Goan people...
and also the first Leader of Opposition in the Goa assembly
Goa assembly
The Goa Legislative Assembly is the unicameral legislature of the state of Goa in western India. It consists of 40 members. In charge of the budget, the Assembly appropriates money for social programs, agricultural development, infrastructure development, etc...
. He is popularly known as the Father of the Opinion Poll in Goa.
de Sequeira married Maureen and they had three children.
Role in the Goa Opinion Poll
The United Goans PartyUnited Goans Party
The United Goans Party was a political party founded in Goa after its annexation into India. Its main aim at the time of formation was to protect the distinct identity of Goa and the Goan people...
was the main proponent of a referendum on the issue of merger of Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
with Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
. During the Goa Opinion Poll
Goa Opinion Poll
The Goa Opinion Poll was a referendum held in the state of Goa, India, on 16 January 1967, to decide the future of the Union Territory of Goa, Daman and Diu within the Indian Union. Although popularly called an opinion poll, it was in fact, a referendum, as the results of the poll were binding on...
, Jack and Erasmo were the leaders of the anti-merger faction. de Sequeira pasted posters in the dead of the night. He conducted meetings with other activists to plan strategies. He did the legwork that his father required of him.
Political career
Erasmo de Sequeira was the leader of the United Goans Party (Sequeira Group); which was founded by his father. He represented Marmagoa parliamentary constituency twice between 1967-1977. He was also a member of the Parliamentary Estimates Committee between 1968-69.During his term as a Member of Parliament, he advocated greater links with Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
. He was made the leader of Parliamentary delegations to foreign countries many times; especially when the delegations were sent to Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
speaking countries.
Although Erasmo was a member of the Opposition, he was known to be on good terms with Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
. During the Emergency, a large number of Opposition leaders were arrested. Erasmo de Sequeria was a notable exception. He became the Opposition's voice in the Parliament.
On one occasion, Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
invited de Sequeira to join the Congress. She assured him that he would be made a Deputy Minister. When he refused, she offered to make him a Minister of State. He refused again, saying that he aimed higher. Indira told him that she could not make him a Cabinet Minister due to his lack of experience. de Sequeira replied that he didn't want that either. When Indira finally asked de Sequeira what he wanted he replied, "Your chair, madam, your chair!".
Second split in UGP
In 1977, de Sequeira joined hands with the Bharatiya Lok DalBharatiya Lok Dal
Bharatiya Lok Dal was a political party in India. The BLD was formed at the end of 1974 through the fusion of seven parties opposed to the autocratic rule of Indira Gandhi, including the Swatantra Party, the Utkal Congress, the Bharatiya Kranti Dal, and the Socialist Party...
, headed by Charan Singh. He did this without consulting his party members. The party members were enraged, causing the UGP(Sequiera group) to split into two groups: UGP (Sequeria Group) and UGP (Naik Group). He lost the next parliamentary election to Eduardo Faleiro
Eduardo Faleiro
Eduardo Faleiro is an Indian politician, and former federal minister from Goa. He is currently , the Commissioner for non-resident Indian affairs for the Government of Goa....
of UGP-N in March 1977. In the next Assembly elections, UGP-S managed to win just three seats as compared to UGP-N, which won 10 seats.