Goa Gets Freedom

Category : - All India Travel Tourism > Goa > Freedom of Goa

The Goa Congress
The National Congress (Goa) was formed in 1930 on the pattern of the Indian National Congress to spearhead the freedom movement in Goa. A branch was opened in Bombay (now Mumbai) in 1936 for greater interaction with the Indian national Congress and Goans in Bombay. The National Congress (Goa) inspired by the Quit India movement of the Indian National Congress in 1942 gave a call for the Portuguese to quit Goa. A large number of Satyagrahis (volunteers believing in peaceful resistance) offering non-violence resistance were arrested. The open public meeting of Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia at Margao on June 18, 1945 marked a watershed in the freedom movement. He left Goa on the 20th June, but the fire of liberty he ignited continued illuminating and inspiring the freedom movement till the final liberation of Goa in 1961.

Mass civil disobedience began at different places in Goa, Daman and Diu. The All India Congress Working Committee and Mahatma Gandhi supported the Goan struggle for independence in August 1946. The Portuguese Government arrested the leaders and exiled them to Penche Island near Portugal and Angola in Portuguese Africa, and jailed the Satyagrahis. This movement became known as Jai Hind Movement that brought together Hindus and Christians against the Portuguese authority. Repression became extremely harsh during India's independence in 1947. The Portuguese strengthened their military by bringing fresh forces from Europe.

The formation of Azad Gomantak Dal in April 1947 for armed struggle added a new chapter to the freedom movement. The Dal volunteers attacked police posts, disrupted the road traffic, cut off communication links like telephone and telegram wires, and paralysed the administration. They soon shifted to border areas and launched the Azad (Free) Goa Radio for countering effectively the anti-India propaganda of the Portuguese.

The Nationalist Movement
After India gained independence from the British rule on August 15, 1947, the Goan aspiration for freedom touched a new high. India started negotiation with Portugal for transfer of the Portuguese possessions in India. But an adamant Lisbon under the dictator Salazar declined to learn from its colonial brothers, viz. London and Paris. In protest, the Indian Government closed down its mission in Portugal on June 11, 1953. Under a Goa action committee set up in Bombay in 1953, all Goan nationalist parties started Satyagraha in August 1954. Indian and Goan newspapers viz. Goa Tribune, Resurge Goa, Gomantak (English), Amcha Goa, Dipagraha, Pradip and Dudhsagar supported and carried on the morale of the freedom struggle.

On August 15, 1954, the Satyagrahis from India entered Goa and captured Tiracol fort peacefully by overpowering and outnumbering the Portuguese officials. Severe repression followed. The leaders were arrested and deported and the volunteers jailed. While mass Satyagrahas (peaceful processions) were going on throughout Goa, the United Front of Goans occupied the village of Dadra near Daman (a Portuguese possession in Surat district) and hoisted the Indian national flag on July 21, 1954. On July 31, the Azad Gomantak Dal volunteers along with the cadres of Jana Sangh (a Hindu Nationalist Party in India) liberated Nagar Haveli and Naroli. The Portuguese government sought a right of passage to send military reinforcements to these territories over the Indian soil. But the Indian government turned down this request. The Portuguese took up the matter in the International Court at the Hague on December 22, 1955, which however after prolonged legal battle rejected the Portuguese appeal in April 1960.

Meanwhile, the Indian Government organised an economic blockade on Goa on January 26, 1955. Peaceful Satyagrahas by the National Congress (Goa) and underground armed struggle by the Azad Gomantak Dal intensified. The police too responded with increased brutality. The police and military opened fire on the peaceful Satyagrahis and killed 32 and injured 225 Satyagrahis. This mass killing caused deep resentment in India and the Indian Government declared the liberation of Portuguese occupations in India as its duty.

The economic embargo on Goa fuelled a lucrative black market on the Goa-India border and spawned unprecedented corruption. Thus the economic pressure by the Indian Government proved futile. Pakistan helped Portugal economically to marginalise the sanction woes. Above all, India's refusal to actively participate in the Goan struggle through military intervention dampened its spirit and slowed its pace.

The passive moral support of the Indian Government came in under severe criticism by opposition parties in India. The National Congress (Goa) ended Satyagraha and urged India to enter into dialogue with Portugal.

The Indian Government withdrew the permit system and lifted the ban on movement of persons of Indian origin and Indians to and from Goa. It came under tremendous pressure from within and outside the country to go for military solution. As encouraged by the NATO support, Lisbon began war preparations in Goa by bringing in tanks, armoured cars and troops, and imposed curfews in Panjim, New Delhi also took precautionary measure along the Indo-Goa border. The military built-up on both sides worsened the already volatile situation.

Meanwhile, the Varishtha Panchayat at Free Dadra and Nagar Haveli urged the Indian Government for inclusion of these territories into India.

The Freedom
To end the Portuguese intransigence, aggressiveness and provocations permanently, at zero hour on December 17-18, 1961, the Indian Army moved into Goa, Daman and Diu. The Operation Vijay (Operation Victory) ended on December 19, with a very feeble resistance from the Portuguese forces.