Goa's Liberation Day

 19th December 1961: Goa's Liberation Day


Goa Liberation Day is observed on 19th December every year in India. The occasion marks the day Indian armed forces freed Goa in 1961 from, 450 years of Portuguese rule. 

The Portuguese first arrived in Goa in 1498 under the able guidance of explorer Vasco da Gama when he first landed in Calicut on the eastern western shores of India. They were very much happy with the discovery and establishment of Cape of Good Hope which turned out to be a very profitable trading route for them.

 

The Portuguese colonized several parts of India in 1510 but by the end of the 19th century Portuguese colonies in India were limited to Goa, Daman, Diu, Dadra, Nagar Haveli and Anjelica Island. 

The Goa liberation movement, which sought to end Portuguese colonial rule in Goa, started off with small scale revolts, but reached its peak between 1940 to 1960, ending when India invaded Goa in 1961. 

After the failure of diplomatic efforts with the Portuguese, a military operation code-named ‘Operation Vijay’ was conducted by Indian Navy, Airforce, and Army, and Goa was liberated on 19th December 1961. 

After the failure of diplomacy with the Portuguese, the Government of India ordered the Indian Armed Forces to take Goa by force. In a military operation conducted on 18 and 19 December 1961, Indian troops captured Goa with little resistance. The governor-general of Portuguese India signed an instrument of surrender.

 

In 1955, a Satyagraha was launched by the communist and socialist parties for the freedom of Goa. When the Satyagrahis entered Goa, the Portuguese opened fire, killing 20 Indians. Nehru imposed an economic blockade but was not prepared to go further. He hoped that the popular movement in Goa and the pressure of world public opinion would force the hands of the Goan authorities. Finding that his policy of patience and adherence to international ethics had not yielded results, Nehru decided to free Goa by force. On 18 December 1961, after a long-drawn fight against Indian troops, the Portuguese gave up resistance. The Governor-General of Goa, Vassalo e Silva signed a document of unconditional surrender. And thus Goa was liberated

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