Erasmo de Sequeira

Erasmo Sequeira
Erasmo Sequeira
South Goa
Personal details
Born	1938/1939; Jack Sequeira (father)

Erasmo Jesus de Sequeira (1938/1939 – 16 July 1997) was an Indian politician,

Marmagoa parliamentary constituency twice from 1967 to 1977. He has been described as a "man of letters"; and was known for his fluency in many languages.^[1]

Personal life

Erasmo de Sequeria was the son of

Father of the Opinion Poll

in Goa.

Sequeira married Maureen and they had three children Dr Amita de Sequeira, Dr Anil de Sequeira and Aisha de Sequeira.^[2]

Role in the Goa Opinion Poll

The

Goa Opinion Poll, Jack and Erasmo were the leaders of the anti-merger faction.^[3] 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.^[4]

Political career

Erasmo de Sequeira was the leader of the

Marmagoa parliamentary constituency twice between 1967 and 1977. He was also a member of the Parliamentary Estimates Committee between 1968 and 1969.^[1]

During his term as a Member of Parliament, he advocated greater links with

Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries.^[5]

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.^[5]

On one occasion, Indira Gandhi invited 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. Sequeira replied that he did not want that either. When Indira finally asked Sequeira what he wanted he replied, "Your chair, madam, your chair!".^[5]

Second split in UGP

In 1977, Sequeira joined hands with the

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.^[5]

Writer

Sequeira was a prolific writer of letters. He was fluent in many Indian and foreign languages. His publications include My Country and Me. He authored many poems in English.[1] He also started a paper called the Goa Monitor in 1977.^[6]

Death

Erasmo de Sequeira died in Goa on 16 July 1997.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "XI LOK SABHA DEBATES, Session V (Monsoon)". parliamentofindia.nic.in. 23 July 1997. Archived from the original on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2009.
^ "About Aisha and Roy". Retrieved 10 June 2009.
^ BosPam (16 January 2009). "GOA: The Merger Issue and the Opinion Poll of 1967". Retrieved 10 June 2009.^{[permanent dead link]}
^ Couto, Maria Aurora; Xanno Moidecar (28 April 2007). "CHIP OF A BLOCK OF GOEMCAR GRANITE". Retrieved 4 June 2009.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Faleiro, Valmiki. "UGP DEMISE". goanet. Retrieved 4 June 2009.
^ D'Cunha, Cyril (11 October 2003). "Behind The News: Voices From Goa's Press" (PDF). www.colaco.net. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 May 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2009.

[lok_sabha-1] "XI LOK SABHA DEBATES, Session V (Monsoon)". parliamentofindia.nic.in. 23 July 1997. Archived from the original on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2009.

[AishaandRoy-2] "About Aisha and Roy". Retrieved 10 June 2009.

[knol-3] BosPam (16 January 2009). "GOA: The Merger Issue and the Opinion Poll of 1967". Retrieved 10 June 2009.^{[permanent dead link]}

[Maria_Couto-4] Couto, Maria Aurora; Xanno Moidecar (28 April 2007). "CHIP OF A BLOCK OF GOEMCAR GRANITE". Retrieved 4 June 2009.

[ugp_demise-5] Faleiro, Valmiki. "UGP DEMISE". goanet. Retrieved 4 June 2009.

[cyril_dcunha-6] D'Cunha, Cyril (11 October 2003). "Behind The News: Voices From Goa's Press" (PDF). www.colaco.net. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 May 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2009.

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