MANGALURU: In an attempt to immortalise Mangaluru’s son of the soil -- the late George Fernandes -- who was a Union minister, a memorial on his mortal remains has been erected, according to his religious customs, by Bejai Parish, which will be inaugurated on February 23.
Bejai Parish pastoral council member Vincent on Friday said that the memorial is ready for inauguration at the Bejai church, which is his birthplace. “After a prolonged illness, Fernandes passed away last year in January, at the age of 88. The final rites were held in New Delhi and the ashes from the funeral pyre were brought to Bejai church. During the inauguration, the family members of the late minister are expected to be present,” he said.
The memorial will be blessed and inaugurated by Mangaluru Bishop Peter Paul Saldanha at 8 am on Sunday in the presence of Mangaluru South MLA Vedavyas Kamath, MLC Ivan D’Souza, and former MLA J R Lobo.
Fr Wilson Vitus D’Souza, Parish Priest, St Francis Xavier Church, Bejai in the press meet said, “Although George Fernandes is no longer in our midst, it is an effort to immortalise the memory of Mangaluru’s proud politician.
George Matthew Fernandes was born in Bejai, as the eldest of six siblings, to John Jos Fernandes and Alice Martha Fernandes. He completed his primary education in St Francis Xavier School, Bejai and high school in St Aloysius High School. Imbibing strong Christian values, Fernandes is the only Christian leader who strove to build a magnificent India.”
“During the period of the Emergency, even from prison, this brave warrior from Karnataka, contested elections from Bihar and won. He was elected nine times as a member of Lok Sabha and once as a member of Rajya Sabha. He was the first son of South Kanara to become the Railway Minister under the leadership of the late Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh.”
He said that the Government of India conferred the Padma Vibhushan Award on him. “In the wake of this historical event, a tomb has been erected in the birthplace of George Fernandes.