Goa Revolution Day,a pivotal moment in the history of the state, is celebrated on June 18 every year.
It was on this day in 1946 that the people of the region started a mass revolution to take back their homeland from the Portuguese that finally culminated in the region’s independence on December 19, 1961.
Goa Revolution Day is also known as 'Kranti Din', which is observed to recall the sacrifices of the freedom fighters and martyrs who secured Goa's liberation.
History
By the 1940s, the Goan independence movement had gained momentum, inspired by the Indian independence movement, which had entered a crucial phase following the 1946 announcement by the British government to grant India independence.
After this development, Indian leaders focused their attention on the movements in Portuguese India and French India that sought to join the newly independent Indian state.
Ram Manohar Lohia emerged as an important leader of the freedom movement. Along with activist Julião Menezes, he hosted a pro-independence gathering in Panjim in 1946 where the crowd responded by hailing India, Gandhi and the two men, leading to the duo's arrest by colonial authorities who feared civil unrest.
By the end of the day, Menezes was released and Lohia was driven outside of Goa and released. Their arrest at the demonstration motivated people to hold large-scale protests in support of the independence movement, which resulted in large-scale arrests and the incarceration of over 1,500 people.
Other leaders, including Bragança Cunha, Purushottam Kakodkar and Laxmikant Bhembre were deported to Portugal because of their participation in the independence protests.
Significance
Although this revolution proved ultimately unsuccessful, it was a powerful symbol of the fact that the majority of Goans, including Catholics, wished to be free of their colonial overlords.
15 years later, in 1961, after the failure of diplomacy with the Portuguese government, the Government of India ordered the Indian Armed Forces to take Goa by force.
In a military operation conducted on 18 and 19 December 1961, Indian troops captured Goa with little resistance. The Governor-general of Portuguese India, Manuel António Vassalo e Silva, signed an instrument of surrender.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday extended greetings to the locals on the occasion of Goa Revolution Day and paid rich tributes to freedom fighters.
"On 18th June 1946, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia and Dr Juliao Menezes' fearless speech against the oppressive colonial rule manifested the courage of Goans, to fight against the Portuguese regime.
"This spark, which was lit by Dr Ram Manohar Lohia at Margao, turned into big flames in the hearts of Goans, eventually giving the much required courage to thousands of them to come together and oppose the dictatorial rule, leading to liberation of Goa on December 19, 1961 after 450 years of Portuguese rule," Sawant said.
"On this memorable occasion let us all bow our heads to the memory of all the martyrs, freedom fighters. It is because of the sacrifices of these great souls that Goa today stands tall as a prosperous State," Sawant added.
"Let us continue to work towards the betterment and for making Goa a model State. Let us join hands together and strive to protect the hard-earned freedom and rededicate ourselves to achieve greater progress and maintain rich traditions in all spheres of life," Sawant further said.
(with inputs from IANS)
