Goa would have been liberated much earlier before 1961 if Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel had been alive, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar said on Sunday.
He was addressing a state function at Margao town at the place where freedom fighter Ram Manohar Lohia had given a call for civil disobedience on June 18, 1946, to unite against the Portuguese. June 18 is observed as Goa Revolution Day.
Besides chief minister Pramod Sawant, the event was also attended by Lohia's son Ramesh Chandra Lohia and other family members. Ramesh Chandra was felicitated by the chief minister.
Quoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chandrasekhar said, “Countless political storms and turbulence have been witnessed by Goans but even after centuries of distance between the time and power, neither Goa has forgotten its Indianness and nor India has forgotten Goa.”
“This is a relationship that has grown only with the time. Goa would have been liberated earlier had Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel lived for some more time. That is why it took till 1961 for the eventual liberation of Goa,” said Chandrasekhar. He said several sacrifices were made for the independence of India and the liberation of Goa.
“The call for civil disobedience movement that Dr Ram Manohar Lohia gave from here in 1946 had an impact on India's freedom struggle and Goa's liberation fight,” he added.
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