[Goanet-News] The Run-up Begins: Understanding Aug 15, 1954 (Valmiki Faleiro)
by Valmiki Faleiro valmi...@gmail.com The last phase of Goa's anti-colonial movement started on 15 August 1954. It was India's Independence Day, but there was another reason. Thirty-five volunteers of the United Front of Goans led by Francisco Mascarenhas, JM D'Souza and Vaman Desai captured Dadra on 22 July 1954 while a week later, those of the Goan People's Party led by George Vaz and Divakar Kakodkar, Azad Gomantak Dal led by Prabhakar Sinari, and RSS activists began occupying Nagar Haveli and fully occupied it by 2 August 1954. Of the five policemen defending Dadra, two -- deputy chief Aniceto do Rosário and constable António Fernandes, both Brown -- died. Nagar Haveli was defended by Capt. Virgílio Fidalgo, a White, with 150 policemen, all of whom fled south and surrendered to Indian Special Reserve Police at Udva on 11 August 1954. No casualties were reported by the militant Goan freedom fighters, who Portugal claimed were mixed with Indian Army regulars from the Maratha Light Infantry. It was Portugal's first loss of territory in India. Elated at the success, Gandhian Goan freedom fighters in Bombay announced the launch of the Satyagraha movement from 15 August 1954. Arrangements were made to stage an impressive march on Goa with help of Indian volunteers mobilised by opposition parties like the Praja Socialist Party. Two days before the event, Nehru declared that he would not permit Indian participation in the march (if he did, he feared that Pakistan would send 'satyagrahis' into Jammu & Kashmir). Nehru also said that only unarmed Goans would be allowed to cross the border into Goa. Disappointed but not defeated, Peter Alvares, a prominent Goan member of the Praja Socialist Party assembled three modest satyagrahi batches of about 15 volunteers each, all Goan, that marched from Siroda to Tiracol, from Banda to Patradevi and from Majali to Polem on 15 August 1954. The leader of each group carried the Indian tricolour. Alfred Afonso led the group that entered the Tiracol fort. The Portuguese garrison in charge, José António Álvares, a Goan from Chinchinim, ordered his men to abandon the fort and run away. He was tried and sentenced to three and half years' imprisonment. Afonso planted the Indian flag that flew even the next day. Mark Fernandes led the second group from Banda to Patradevi. Anthony D'Souza led the third group from Majali-Karwar to the Polem border post. All were arrested. One died. Forty six were sentenced to imprisonment, with terms ranging from one to eight years. Only Anthony D'Souza got 20 years rigorous imprisonment. He was a seminarian, who had set out to become a Catholic priest, but went to Kashi to study the Vedas. He did not become a Hindu priest either. He became a freedom fighter. And then became a minister -- not in a church -- but in the Goa Cabinet (1967-70). On 18 February 1955, Bala Raya Mapari of Assonora, belonging to the Azad Gomantak Dal, was tortured to death by police in the lock-up of the Mapusa police station. He became the first martyr of the last phase of the freedom struggle which had started the previous year. Meanwhile, in Portugal, through most of the 1950s, various democratic, socialist, and communist leaders, youth organisations and university students pleaded for freedom in Goa. They urged Salazar to negotiate with India and quit Goa. Since the press was censored, they did this through illicit pamphlets. Dozens of such leaders were hunted down by the PIDE, tried for "conspiracy against the security of the state through illicit and secret association" and jailed. Bombay's Free Goa lamented that "strangely enough the Indian information services and in consequence, the Indian press remain silent about these important facts which closely concern India they [also] keep mum about events which are favourable to India and deserve to be known by the Indian public as well as in foreign countries" (Democrats in Portugal are Jailed For Pleading for Goa´s Freedom, edition of 25 July 1957). In New Delhi, an 'All-Party Parliamentary Committee for Goa' was formed on 5 May 1955 to mobilise opinion in India in support of freeing Goa from colonial rule. Many satyagrahis and Indian opposition Members of Parliament entered Goa in small groups. Satyagrahis were sent back and, in a most embarrassing situation for India, the parliamentarians were arrested and jailed. Among the prominent Indian leaders detained at Aguada Jail were Madhu Limaye of Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia's Socialist Party, Jagannathrao Joshi of the Jana Sangh (forerunner of today's ruling BJP), Rajaram Patil of the Communist Party of India, Nanasaheb Goray and Shirubhau Limaye of the Praja Socialist Party, and Tridib Kumar
[Goanet] The Run-up Begins: Understanding Aug 15, 1954 (Valmiki Faleiro)
by Valmiki Faleiro valmi...@gmail.com The last phase of Goa's anti-colonial movement started on 15 August 1954. It was India's Independence Day, but there was another reason. Thirty-five volunteers of the United Front of Goans led by Francisco Mascarenhas, JM D'Souza and Vaman Desai captured Dadra on 22 July 1954 while a week later, those of the Goan People's Party led by George Vaz and Divakar Kakodkar, Azad Gomantak Dal led by Prabhakar Sinari, and RSS activists began occupying Nagar Haveli and fully occupied it by 2 August 1954. Of the five policemen defending Dadra, two -- deputy chief Aniceto do Rosário and constable António Fernandes, both Brown -- died. Nagar Haveli was defended by Capt. Virgílio Fidalgo, a White, with 150 policemen, all of whom fled south and surrendered to Indian Special Reserve Police at Udva on 11 August 1954. No casualties were reported by the militant Goan freedom fighters, who Portugal claimed were mixed with Indian Army regulars from the Maratha Light Infantry. It was Portugal's first loss of territory in India. Elated at the success, Gandhian Goan freedom fighters in Bombay announced the launch of the Satyagraha movement from 15 August 1954. Arrangements were made to stage an impressive march on Goa with help of Indian volunteers mobilised by opposition parties like the Praja Socialist Party. Two days before the event, Nehru declared that he would not permit Indian participation in the march (if he did, he feared that Pakistan would send 'satyagrahis' into Jammu & Kashmir). Nehru also said that only unarmed Goans would be allowed to cross the border into Goa. Disappointed but not defeated, Peter Alvares, a prominent Goan member of the Praja Socialist Party assembled three modest satyagrahi batches of about 15 volunteers each, all Goan, that marched from Siroda to Tiracol, from Banda to Patradevi and from Majali to Polem on 15 August 1954. The leader of each group carried the Indian tricolour. Alfred Afonso led the group that entered the Tiracol fort. The Portuguese garrison in charge, José António Álvares, a Goan from Chinchinim, ordered his men to abandon the fort and run away. He was tried and sentenced to three and half years' imprisonment. Afonso planted the Indian flag that flew even the next day. Mark Fernandes led the second group from Banda to Patradevi. Anthony D'Souza led the third group from Majali-Karwar to the Polem border post. All were arrested. One died. Forty six were sentenced to imprisonment, with terms ranging from one to eight years. Only Anthony D'Souza got 20 years rigorous imprisonment. He was a seminarian, who had set out to become a Catholic priest, but went to Kashi to study the Vedas. He did not become a Hindu priest either. He became a freedom fighter. And then became a minister -- not in a church -- but in the Goa Cabinet (1967-70). On 18 February 1955, Bala Raya Mapari of Assonora, belonging to the Azad Gomantak Dal, was tortured to death by police in the lock-up of the Mapusa police station. He became the first martyr of the last phase of the freedom struggle which had started the previous year. Meanwhile, in Portugal, through most of the 1950s, various democratic, socialist, and communist leaders, youth organisations and university students pleaded for freedom in Goa. They urged Salazar to negotiate with India and quit Goa. Since the press was censored, they did this through illicit pamphlets. Dozens of such leaders were hunted down by the PIDE, tried for "conspiracy against the security of the state through illicit and secret association" and jailed. Bombay's Free Goa lamented that "strangely enough the Indian information services and in consequence, the Indian press remain silent about these important facts which closely concern India they [also] keep mum about events which are favourable to India and deserve to be known by the Indian public as well as in foreign countries" (Democrats in Portugal are Jailed For Pleading for Goa´s Freedom, edition of 25 July 1957). In New Delhi, an 'All-Party Parliamentary Committee for Goa' was formed on 5 May 1955 to mobilise opinion in India in support of freeing Goa from colonial rule. Many satyagrahis and Indian opposition Members of Parliament entered Goa in small groups. Satyagrahis were sent back and, in a most embarrassing situation for India, the parliamentarians were arrested and jailed. Among the prominent Indian leaders detained at Aguada Jail were Madhu Limaye of Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia's Socialist Party, Jagannathrao Joshi of the Jana Sangh (forerunner of today's ruling BJP), Rajaram Patil of the Communist Party of India, Nanasaheb Goray and Shirubhau Limaye of the Praja Socialist Party, and Tridib Kumar
[Goanet] OUR RAJ BHAVAN IS NOW RTI COMPLIANT
We must commend our Governor PS Sreedharan Pillai for lifting that veil of secrecy and opening the gates of Goa Raj Bhavan to embrace the Right to Information Act. As required by the transparency law, the Governor’s Joint Secretary has been appointed as the Public Information Officer (PIO) while the Secretary to the Governor is the First Appellate Authority under the RTI Act. This brings to an end my long protracted litigation with our Raj Bhavan which commenced at the State Information Commission and after moving on to our High Court was now pending before the Supreme Court. For over a decade the Goa Raj Bhavan was adamantly not submitting itself to the RTI Act by strangely claiming that the Governor was not a ‘Public Authority’ despite all other Raj Bhavans across the country and even the Rashtrapati Bhavan being under the purview of this law which was enacted to ensure Transparency and Accountability in Governance. The move by Governor Pillai is most appropriate while sending a powerful message on the need of a citizen-centric approach of transparency, openness and accountability in governance. It is in the best interests of our democratic principles and the Constitutional mandate of the RTI Act. Adv. Aires Rodrigues C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires www.airesrodrigues.in
Re: [Goanet] San Francisco Xaviera
Ask Valmiki for the story behind the song... On Thu, 11 Nov 2021 at 02:09, Roland Francis wrote: > For feeling and fullness that is best reflected in a Konkani hymn song, > Cuca Roseta accompanied on keyboards by Gonzaga Coutinho plumb the depth of > devotion. > > https://youtu.be/HFYMsbr79vc > > Roland. > Toronto. > > ᐧ
[Goanet] San Francisco Xaviera
For feeling and fullness that is best reflected in a Konkani hymn song, Cuca Roseta accompanied on keyboards by Gonzaga Coutinho plumb the depth of devotion. https://youtu.be/HFYMsbr79vc Roland. Toronto.
[Goanet] CONSTABLE RECRUITMENT
CONSTABLE RECRUITMENT BRINGS OUT REALITY DISTORTION FIELD The candidates for the Goa government recruitment exams reportedly could not endure the normal physical tests. Many developed fatigue, body pain and renal problems. A doctor reported that 3 candidates in North Goa and one in South Goa referred to Health Centres were given painkiller injections which only aggravated the matter! According to the nephrologist they had no past history of kidney related diseases and could have long lasting effects! This brings to fore the shocking RTI response that over 33 lakh children in India are malnourished and comparison with last years figures shows a 91% rise in 2021! The continued high prices of fuel and cascading effect and a packet of chips now costing far less that an apple or fruit/vegetables against the propaganda of the government's "reality distortion field" view of the nations health projection, still patting themselves on the back for hasty demonitization, Covid lock down, high fuel prices decisions. The continued comparative majority popularity of the Prime Minister for his projected decisive good intentions and booming economic recovery, hard work etc despite so much suffering, vast disparities in the nations basic future citizens health and climatic devastation is a fact!
