When Goa was Liberated

Fifty years ago, in a decisive move that would have ramifications in Africa and East Timor, the newly-independent Republic of India pushed her soldiers into the Portuguese enclaves in India - Goa, Daman, Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli - and liberated historically Indian territories that were under foreign occupation for 450 years.

The Liberation of Goa was as much a decisive victory for the Indian Armed Forces, which invaded the territory from land, air and sea, as a ringing defeat to the imperial ideology that sought to take control of other territories under the garb of 'civilizing' them. Prime Minister Salazar's attempts at portraying Goa as some province of Portugal - a lame excuse, if ever - fell flat in the face when countries upon countries congratulated the Indian Republic for doing what was right.

African colonies looked upon the Liberation of Goa as a source of inspiration, their independent neighbours hoping to make it a model for Angola and Mozambique. Even as the invasion proceeded, Salazar's Government called for a resolution against India at the UNSC, but failed due to a timely veto from the Soviet Union. Indeed, Nikita Kruschev congratulated Prime Minister Nehru and asked him to ignore the hypocritical voices of condemnation from the same people that enriched themselves by enslaving their colonies.

The Liberation served to inform the world at large that Independent India - a land of a united people - would never again allow foreigners to control their destiny again. The final collapse of foreign rule in the subcontinent also showed that non-violence is never to be taken as a mark of weakness rather, it is to be taken as a warning of much greater consequences.

Opinions 24x7, on this historic day, remembers those brave soldiers, sailors and officers who lost their lives in the Liberation of the enclaves. We stand united today, with Goa an important part of the Union, a proud and free people.