· 1 8.12.61 at about 5.45 AM, close to our house and next to the main road while going to Aguada, my father a fair like a Portuguez “Paklo”, wearing a “Cheddi” and Banyan, was adjusting the water flow in our field unaware of the presence of Indian Military marching on Goan soil. While my father busy in doing his job in our field, he was surprised to see a Convoy of Military vehicles namely Tanks, Jeeps transporting Indian Military personnel to capture the Portuguese citadel at Aguada. On this date at the United Nations Security Council acting on the complaint of Portugal passed a resolution by the majority member nations including USA, UK, France, Turkey, China and others declaring the annexation of Goa by India as illegal and called for the cessation of hostilities, withdrawal of Indian forces from Goa and settle their differences between them peacefully. However, this majority decision was defeated by the one vote called Veto by the Soviet Russia giving legality for India to acquire Goa by force. But with the annexation of Goa by military force the image of India in the World as a peaceful country disappeared. US President immediately commented on India “Why you are fooling the World since last 14 years in the name of Non-Violence when you used the same violence to acquire Goa? It looks the Pastor is caught coming out of brothel buttoning his Pant”.
While Indian Military was annexing Goa with a claim that due to the geographical affinity of Goa to Bharat and also Goa being situated in the sub-continent, it becomes the part of Bharat for which the World answered to India saying if this is the case then all the nations in the sub – continent becomes a part of Bharat. There were blames on Portuguese for its conversion process of Goans and that the Portuguese came to Goa uninvited. It must be noted well that the Portuguese were brought to Goa thru the invitation by one Goan Hindu called Timoja to liberate Goa from the tyranny of Muslim leader Yusuf Adil Shah. I don’t remember having read or heard any official invitation was given to India on behalf of all the Goans to liberate Goa. Hence, the Military action taken by India on Goa looks unilateral. That the Portuguese had to leave from Goa is tta sure fact and if they had been there in Goa when I attained the proper age of a well grown –up boy, I would definitely join the Freedom for Goa movement but surely first I will make them understand the writing on the walls. I never heard a top Brahmin Bhattkar and any Hindu Negociante mainly from the Brahmin caste, any time discussed this topic with the Governador Geral of Goa requesting him to speak to Salazar to give our Goa in our hands in a true sense of Liberation? But no, these so called elite Goans were acted like Chamchas and Slaves of Portuguez. Being the best of Portugues Chamchas they alone got the better benefits of Portuguese. Due to their closeness to Portuguese especially the nominated members of Legislative Council, they should have brought this topic to the notice of the Portuguese rulers. If we had to get some sort of freedpom then. now we would not have been facing the difficulties that we are facing where our existence as Goans is in peril. In few years time the way things are moving in Goa, we the genuine Goans would lose everything such as our language, our culture, our history, our tradition, our folks tales and folk songs, our houses, and properties In one word the outsiders will totally dominate over every apeect of our life, they will treat us ruthlessly without any pity nor compassion because they are very hard hearted, they have no softness in their hearts. And the Governments in Goa as well as in Delhi will do nothing because every successive Government in Goa proved to be anti Goan and anti-Goa just like the Delhi government whichever it may be. In Delhi ww have no weight because no body wants us withour two members of Lokh Sabah. I feel pity for me now because during the next few yeara if I survive and to my children too realising how they will face the tormenting life for all Goans in few years from now this whatThinking all these I feel like asking the Freesom Fightrs: is this the Liberation you were asking and our Freedom Fighters were fighting by facing the bullets and cruel beatings of the Portuguese? And if it is yes thn Shame on you. Your are partly responaible for our sufferings today because once the Portuguese were ousted from Goa, you went to sleep never even bothered to check the injustice happening on Goans. I accuse you for being responsible for what tragedies are happening in Goa. It was your duty ff to raise your voices agaiinst what is going wrong in Goa but you did noting of that sort because you are given Tamraptra as an honour and Pension. Shame on you specially on those whose Tamrapatras gives an odour of blood of innocent Goans whom the freedom fighters killed example Goan Regidor from Siolim who was mercilessly murdered.
Coming back to my father in our field, suddenly the top man sitting in the front vehicle spotted my father in the field and be stopped his vehicle leading all the remaining vehicles following him also to halt. Then the Military man called my father thus, “Hey, what are you doing there?”, my father replied “I am adjusting the water flow”. The Indian Military man suspecting my father a Portuguese Paklo because of his fair skin, asked my father “whose field is that? My father replied as “mine” . Then he asked “why you are wearing this poor Cheddi and Banyan” for which my father replied “because I am poor”, for this the Military man retorted “I know, the Portuguez have purposely kept you poor, henceforth you will NOT REMAIN POOR but ALL GOANS WILL BE RICH”. Then he asked, “what is the distance from here to Aguada, how many soldiers are there ?”.
Then my father all exited sprinted home giving slogans ”Jai Hind, Nehru Zindabad” whereas while going to our field my father was saying “Viva Portugal, Salazar Zindabad”. Within a few days, all his expectations disappeared with the wind because he never thought the life in Goa would be so corrupt, so insecure, so bad in all respects. With disgust he died as disappointed man expecting Heavenly Mannas which never came as promised on 18.12.61. Is this the LIBERATION? Surely not because this type of freedom we were not expecting. I decline this Liberation because it is a fake Liberation and and as a real son of Goa I regret to accept this as a Liberation. And in reality can it be called a real Liberation? Some political scientists called it as Invaaaion while Supreme Court of India while delivering the judgement on Pe. Chico Monteiro as “Connquest”. In the name of this Liberation we Goans were fooled, cheated and robbed us of everything Goan we had.
A.Veronica Fernandes.