Going back to 1961 once again, a week after the conquest of Goa by the Bharati Serkar of Congress Party under Jawaharlal Nehru, the loot of Goa was started by the Indian Military personnel almost in all the cities of Goa. What I observed in Mapusa and also in my village Candolim because of the proximity of Indian Military stationed at Aguada, I express it here.
We Goans then were very innocent and respectful to the authorities. What Indian Military did then to us the Portuguez Military never did and precisely because of this, Goans trusted Indian Military personnel but they robbed us of the trust we had in them for their Uniforms. A week after the invasion or to use a better word conquest of Goa, there was calm everywhere in Goa and people started moving freely all around Goa. Shops with brand new foreign goods started opening in Mapusa where Indian Military personnel were roaming freely with their Chests out and Heads high as if Goa is their “Bapaichem Bens”.
Then they in small groups started entering the Shops checking the electronics goods such as Radio Sets, Wrist Watches, Cameras, Pens, Sun Glasses and other such costly commodities. Then they started taking whatever items they wanted and just disappeared from the Shops without paying. When one of the Hindu Shopkeepers at one particular moment out of frustration asked one Sardarji soldier to pay the money of the expensive Wrist Watch the Sardarji has taken from that Shop, the Sardarji replied thus: "Just shut Your Mouth. We have liberated you”. Seeing this arrogance on the part of Indian Military personnel, the Goan Hindu Shopkeeper was shocked.
This very Hindu Shopkeeper on 18thand 19th welcoming the Indian Military in Goa with the slogan of Jai Hind, himself felt disgusted with the entry of Indian Military in Goa and felt like uttering loudly “Viva Portugal. Salazar Zindabad and India Murdabad”. But as he later on told to his friend, within me I already gave the slogans in praise of Portugal. Similar robberies and loot were also committed by the Indian Military personnel in the Gold Shops too.
Similarly, in Candolim Tinto a group of Indian soldiers stationed at Aguada entered the Casa Manica Bar and Restaurant and after drinking the expensive Whiskey – Brandy – Rum and St.Pauli Beer, refused to pay the bill. When the owner of the Bar asked for money, they threatened him with dire consequences. A heated argument erupted, one of the relatives of the owner while interfeering in between was manhandled by the drunk soldiers. Then from distant one Catholic man Lapit Anton seeing this, came running and stopped the fight. Then the Indian soldiers went back to Aguada of course by shouting bad words. The owner of Casa Manica and his relatives all Hindus said “Ami adim asle tech bore aslet, hancheanim amchem ghatlem padd”, though they were the first to say Jai Hind to Indian troops going to Aguada.
A.Veronica Fernandes,
Candolim, Goa.
Tel:7507394349.