Prez urged to highlight Nehru’s brave role in liberating Goa
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 16 December 2020 19:44 IST
President of India Ram Nath Kovind has been urged to play a parental role and highlight the role India’s first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru played in liberating Goa.
The President is visiting Goa this week on 19th December to launch yearlong celebration of 60th anniversary of Goa’s liberation, organised by BJP-led Goa government.
The appeal has been made by Dakshinayan Goa, a body of writers, thinkers, intellectuals, social activists etc, in the background of some top BJP leaders consistently making a statement that Liberation of Goa was delayed by 14 years due to faulty policy of Nehru.
While India gained independence in 1947, Goa was liberated by Indian army in 1961, ending the 450-year long rule of the Portuguese colonialists.
The forum has brought to the notice of the President of India statements made by union minister Prakash Jawadekar (click to read ) in 1998 during Lok Sabha election campaign in Goa, by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan (click to read) last year while in Goa and then by Goa’s Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant (click to read) this year.
The group of writers and intellectuals says the misinformation is being spread totally against the facts, which are well-documented in the history by several leaders and officials who were part of the ‘Operation Vijay’ (click to read), the Army operation by India.
The writers also refuted the misinformation being spread that then defence minister V K Krishna Menon had conducted the army operation without the knowledge of Nehru, because he was opposed to the armed action.
At a press conference held today morning, Dakshinayan Goa also presented quotes of then Army Chief Lt Gen J J Choudhary as well as then finance minister Morarji Desai to prove how it was a joint operation planned by Nehru and Menon. (Watch video)
“Being the highest Constitutional authority of our Nation and a fatherly figure for all of us, we make an earnest request to His Excellency to verify the facts and pre-empt such distorted and prejudiced proclamations and highlight Nehru’s role in liberation of Goa”, said Damodar Mauzo, president of Dakshinayan Goa and an eminent writer.
Datta Damodar Naik, the past president of Dakshinayan Goa and a writer, also said that Nehru is very close to the hearts of Goans due to the highly diplomatic and daring role he played in liberating Goa as well as in maintaining the unique identity of the state by opposing the proposal to merge Goa into Maharashtra soon after liberation.
“We also appeal to all the political parties as well as all nationalist organisations to counter this false propaganda by twisting the facts and demonising Pandit Nehru”, he said.
Sandesh Prabhudesai, a journalist and son of freedom fighter parents, reminded all the political leaders of Goa that they would have neither become MLAs nor ministers and chief ministers if Nehru had surrendered to the strongest lobby of Maharashtra leaders in his cabinet, which was pressurising him to merge Goa into Maharashtra.
Soon after CM’s statement, Prabhudesai had published in goanews.com a chronology of events from 1946 to 1961 (click to read) to explain how Nehru had fought the battle at international level and even in the UN with the all-powerful NATO headed by the USA and the Western Block, who were supporting Portugal’s refusal to decolonise Goa.
Dakshinayan Goa also placed a book published by Government of Goa at the Golden Jubilee Celebration of Goa's Liberation, “Liberation vs Armed Aggression”, penned down by a researcher Dr Nishtha Desai in 2011. It primarily narrates India’s battle in the UN and how western media came down heavily on Nehru for the armed aggression to liberate Goa.
Click here to read Dakshinayan’s Letter to the President
Click here to view a video presentation on documentary evidence
India invaded Goa as Russia incited the invasion of then the cold war tactics.None were in favour of the invasion Nehru lied and was supported by UAE along with Sri Lanka and handful of african countries.
What have goans gained with the Invasion!!! Liberation??? A blatant lie ofcourse.Liberation is nothing but invasion of corruption by non goan business groups looting its resources with rampant corruption to its core along with local politicians at the fore.