19th DECEMBER 1961 by A. Veronica Fernandes, Kuwait

I was a young boy then schooling at Escola Primaria de Abade Faria in my village. Our Portuguese Primary School was named after that great Goan genius Abade Faria who is said to be from Candolim. In fact next to our School was his once Palatial House giving very deserted and fearful look.

There was no roof over but walls and pillars were of tremendous width. It was in very bad condition including the surrounding walls. We as ignorant young boys used to go there and embrace the pillars to get some inspiration even though the house was full of reptiles and snakes but filled with variety of plants and trees producing tasty fruits which were of our choice. Since there was no one to look after that place, we the youngsters were the “Monarchs of What We Surveyed” there. After 1962 it was taken over by the Government, repaired and renovated it and turned into an Orphanage.

From 1st of December that year we observed strict vigilance in our area especially done by the "Pakles" stationed at Aguada. Even at Candolim Tinto Portuguese soldiers used to come not only with ordinary Revolvers but also with Machine Guns giving a very fearful look of the area and the likely events to come. On 16th early in the morning if I am not mistaken, while going to School we were told that Emissora de Goa was bombed by Indian Airforce Bomber piloted by well known Goan Pilot Pinto hailing from Porvorim who later on at elsewhere was killed in a Plane crash. Pinto was considered as one of the finest Air Force Pilots of India. In the evening on 16th I was at Candolim Tinto where I saw a group of Goans claiming to be the godfathers of freedom fighters but looked more like “chor” and “goondas”, came in one Consul Car going to Aguada Jail to free the prisoners there. Earlier as they claimed, they performed this task at Mapusa Police Station and other Police outposts and were very successful in their missions because they encountered no opposition from the Portuguese Pakles or official authorities. But at Aguada, yes, they would surely encounter opposition from about 2-3 hundred Pakles who were ready to shoot anyone approaching their citadel. A Goan Policeman Pedro who was from that day left Augada and started hiding at Candolim disclosed this to our godfathers of Goan freedom fighters who came in Consul Car at Candolim Tinto. Pedro was the driver at Aguada daily carrying prisoners to Panjim for medical check-up. The Millitary Van he was driving we used to call “Pedrocho Jipaum”. This Pedro was such a rascal that in the name of Pakles he was acting more than Hitler terrifying everyone in the locality. He was like another Sukddo Police. It is these Sukddos and Pedros who brought bad name for Portuguese rule in Goa by misusing their limited powers. It was given to understand that only the then Bamonsha-ii, Bhatkarsha-ii and top Negociantesha-ii collaborated with the Portuguese and for this reasons they were dubbed as chamchas of Portuguese rule in Goa. But incidentally, more than them it was the chamchageri and dadageri of third grade Goenkar Soldats, Christaum – Hindu and Mussolman - that collaborated with Portuguese authority and it is these third grade “rostad” Goenkar in the garb of lowest rank in police service including the “Miam” all Hindus and Muslims from North Goa employed as lowest rank in the Millitary that brought the image of Portuguese into disrepute. During Portuguese regime Goans were known to occupy very low rank in Police sector, - ordinary Guardos and Cabos -some of them were used by the top ranking Pakles as pimps to procure Goan girls for them. For this reason Goan policemen has got poor image of their character and this dirty character is still shamelessly maintained by many of the Goan policemen ordinary as well as ranking ones.

On 17th at dawn we were surprised to see heavy millitary tanks and lorries carrying thousands of Indian soldiers passing thru the main road in front of my house. We were terrified; my eldest brother who was working for Goa Police in technical division and playing soccer for the then mighty Portuguese Goa Police team, out of desperation remarked “Goa will turn out to be a Moula Raj now”. He acknowledged with broken heart that our beautiful Goa will fall into the hands of crooks even though he was the strongest opponent of Portuguese dadageri in Goa. He was a witness to the highhandedness and dadageri of the Portuguese staff in his department and the low treatment meted out to Goans by the Portuguese. But on the other hand he also realized that with the advent of Bharati rule in Goa situation will be worst than that under Portuguese regime. Having been to Bombay earlier for few years he witnessed himself the Goonda Raj in Bombay and hence was his remark, which was very prophetic. For about 30 minutes this parade of Indian Military might lasted in front of our eyes. Then at about 6 in the morning my father was going to our paddy field just 100 metres from our house next to the main road. While I was following my father from a distance, suddenly another parade of Indian Millitary started and while my father entering the field, Indian Military personnel from the front Tank, saw my father who was as fair as Paklo and wearing a sleeveless banyan thought that my father was really a Paklo and stopped their move. The entire Military convoy lining upto more than 200 metres came to an abrupt halt. I was nervously looking hiding behind the plants what the Millitary personnel were trying to do to my father, so all my home people from my house were nervous. When I saw the Military from close angle, I was so terrified that I thought I was first time seeing the “Devchars” especially when I first time in my life saw the Sikhs. The Indian soldiers were very shabby and desperate, looked they are waiting to drink the blood of someone. Suddenly one main guy opened the door of his lorry and started questioning my father in sign language – “who are you?” My father immediately counter questioned him in Hindi. Immediately Indian Millitary guy came to know that my father is not a Paklo but purely a Goenkar. In the ensuing discussion for about 10 minutes on the road, my father was asked what was the distance from that point to Aguada Jail, how many troops are stationed at Aguada and among them how many are Goans, how many Portuguese “Paklins” are there around Aguada and in Candolim? Are they easily available? How far it was from Candolim to Chapora Fort? Are there any Portuguese Troops stationed there? Then my father was questioned thus “why are you wearing this banyan like a beggar? For this my father told “I am a poor man”. For this my father got this reply “ Henceforth you will not remain poor, Portuguese Government purposedely kept you Goan people poor, we are come to liberate you from poverty and Portuguese bondage. From now onwards you all Goan poor people will become rich”. Hearing this my father left our field, neglected it and came home all smiling with the slogan Jai Hind, Nehru Jindabad and Salazar Murdabad. Everyone at home was surprised to see the sudden change in my father who till a few minutes before was adoring Salazar like anything, giving slogans like Viva Salazar – Viva Portugal. My poor mother could not believe that Indian troops have already arrived on our roads because Exposition of Goencho Saib was just started to prevent Indian Troops from capturing Goa. That exposition was organized only to show the power of Goencho Saib in preventing Indian troops from entering Goan soil and most people believed that Goencho Saib will do the miracles. But this fake belief in fake miracles turned into zero and made the believers in Goencho Saib fools of themselves. Goencho Saib is accused of converting Goans into Christianity by using force and other un Christians means.

While Goa was undergoing the uprooting of Portuguese domination some third class Hindus from my village started giving bad words to Christaum and Sant Francis Xavier as if Sant Francis is the protector and propagator of Portugal. Incidentally some of these traitors were seen a few days back attending the Exposition of Goencho Saib and praying fervently before the Silver Casket of Goencho Saib thus “amgelea Goenchea Saiba, amgelem borem kor”. Many of the Hindus from my village thought that Indianisation of Goa means Hinduisation of Goa and deChristianisation of Christians. Many of them in hired pick-ups and lorries went all around shouting slogans Jai Hind – Jai Hind and firing crackers in front of the Church and Chapels and Crosses using filthy language against Christians. Some of them forced a few shopkeepers to lend them free of charge Fire Crackers to fire in front of above-mentioned religious places and thus mock Christians as if Christians were the protectors of Portuguese. In fact Christians are on record to raise the voice of freedom not only for Goa but also for India as a whole much before Nehrus and Gandhis did. Some of the staunch and faithful freedom fighters of Goa were Christians. Incidentally, some of the drivers who lent their vehicles for people shouting slogans Jai-Hind and Portugal Hush are still crying to get the money for lending their vehicles. Some of the people hired for shouting these slogans on daily basis are yet to be paid their dues and few of them have died cursing their leaders for misusing their services. Some of the Jai Hind slogan shouting Goans were so fanatics that to prove their fake patriotism they started dubbing Christians as anti-Indians and pro-Portuguese and taking advantage of this pretext they went to Arpora High School around 20th of December 1961 with a gang of rowdies to kill Fr. Mendonca who was the Principal of that School and was very close to Portuguese Government. Good that Fr. Mendonca’s driver sensed this trouble in advance and sneaked Fr. Mendonca out of Arpora and kept him hiding at Bastora. Simultaneously similar gang formed in Candolim to kill Dr. Gustavo Monteiro who being a member of Legislativo Council of Goa Government was considered closer to Portuguese. But luckily Dr. Monteiro was saved by divine interference when the bullet fired from the gun of one of the gangsters hit the door missing the target. If I am not mistaken the mark of that bullet is still there on one of the main doors of Dr. Monteiro’s house.

Within a week of total control of Goa by Indian Military, General Candeth was appointed as head and one Mr. Handoo who was closely associated with Nehru family assisted him in running the administration. Immediately the rot from other parts of India started pouring in Goa most of them came to loot and rob Goa. Within 4-5 days after 19th Dec. 1961 shops with luxurious foreign goods opened their shutters for customers. But unfortunately, especially at Mapusa as I witnessed, some of the Indian Millitary personnel started robbing these shops in front of the owners by forcibly taking precious items mainly the watches, cameras etc. and refusing to pay for same. One of the shopkeepers who was going around in the pick-up earlier shouting slogans such as Jai-Hind, Nehru Zindabad himself started cursing for this so called liberation. He even remarked, “Are adlem Portuguesanchench raj borem axil’lem, hannim dolldireanim amgelem sontenas korun soddlem mure! Mogelem shop heam chorani nagoilem mure”. The rot that came to Goa after 19th December 1961 was of such a low and disgraceful quality that they started to Indianise Goa like Jews Judeised occupied Arab Palestine. This rot went on crime & thefth committing rampage and also other illicit acts. They started capturing each and every segment of Goan life of course with the help of antichristian/antiGoan elements who not only welcomed the Maharastrians and others from other parts of India but also allowed them to lord over Goans. These antiChristian/antiGoan elements said they hated outsiders meaning Portuguese in Goa but how they welcomed outsiders meaning Maharastrians and Malyalis was a big question mark. The only two prominent dailies Nawhind Times and Gomantak were manned by a Malyali Editor Menon and a Maharastrian Editor Ghadkari respectively who worked against the interest of Goan and Goan causes. In fact it looked that their managements employed them only for this purpose. All the current ills of Goa are the results of antichristian/antiGoan elements that later on turned out to be MGP and its supporters. Malyalis started dominating our educational sector thru which they started spoiling the minds of our children and future generation. Incidentally most of the Malyalis who came to Goa after 19th Dec. 1961 were of very low quality. The non Goans mainly the Maharastrians, Malyalis, Hindi deputationists and Delhi Babus while coming they came as slaves but gradually they became masters of Goa. So much so they are become Bhattkars now and Goans are become their Mundkars, many of them are become “hondrad ghor zanvuim”. The impact of the influx of non-Goans in Goa is such that within short time they started influencing Goan psyche in such a way that current average Goan is become addicted to non-Goans’ dirty way of life. Our Goan culture is not polluted, not dirty, not vulgar and not harsh. It is only due to the influence of non-Goans’ hostile culture that Goans’ cultural habits are changing. The crimes and robberies committed in Goa during 450 years of Portuguese rule were immediately surpassed by those committed within a short period of Indian rule. In one of their trio songs Conception-Nelson-Anthony soon after 19th December 1961 said:

“Adim Nesson Kapodd, 400 varanchem, Xekim nikllailem moder ami amcheam daranchem, Dharam moddlim, zonelam foddlim, noxib team poranchem, Tech borobor krimidoranchem.

After taking control of Aguada Jail, Indian Millitary immediately released all the prisoners there who were brought in big Millitary Lorries from Augada Jail and alighted at Candolim Tinto at around 2.00 p.m. on one fine day when coincidentally I was also present there at Tinto at that particular moment. The first prisoner to alight from the Lorry was Prof. Eduardo Desouza now residing at Pilerne Bardez, who was sentenced for falsification of official documents as it was given to understand then. Prof. Eduardo incidentally was earlier my professor at Escola Primaria de Abade Faria, a strict disciplinarian but himself committed breach of discipline and was sent to Aguada Jail. When he was sentenced by the Portuguese Government it was a message for everyone that the Government of Gen. Vassalo e Silva will not spare anyone however feudal and big he may be when the question of justice is come. The moment Prof. Eduardo got down from the Military Lorry along with all the “chors – krimidors” and real & fake freedom fighters, he gave a loud slogan pointing out to one Mukund the owner of Bar Casa Manica thus “J-A-I H-I-N-D”. Incidentally this very professor of mine before his imprisonment was so repulsive to this word Jai Hind that finally he himself became slave of this word because Jai Hind gave him liberation. To the surprise of everyone this very professor Eduardo Desouza was immediately appointed interpreter between Portuguese POWs and Indian Millitary administrator at Aguada where a greater number of Portuguese POWs from all over Goa were kept till their repatriation back to Portugal within few months.

It was good that the families of Portuguese personnel, soldiers and other civilians were sent back to Portugal in advance otherwise from the available reports during and following the uprooting of Portuguese Government in Goa of rapes and molestation of innocent Goan females by some of the personnel of Indian Millitary, the beautiful Portuguese females would have been subjected to rapes and molestation all other sorts of humiliations. Did'nt we hear what Indian Military did in Bangladesh after East Pakistan was defeated? Even the question posed by Indian Military man to my father on 17th morning asking him about the “Portuguese Paklins” had ulterior motive. So much so, because of sexual lust of Indian Military personnel of Goan girls after hearing news of such atrocities here and there our local Pe. Vigar stopped organizing “Salves” in the evenings. During those days from 22nd to 31st Dec. Salves were organized in the Church for the feast of Nossa Senhora de Esperanca. Our Pe. Vigar Nicholau Noronha was staunch anti-Portuguese and on 20th of that month he addressed a small gathering at Tinto saying, “this Raj is better than Portuguese Raj and most of the third grade Hindus applauded him. But incidentally, within 48 hours this very same Pe. Vigar found Indian Military personnel so wretched and disgraceful that he had to stop conducting Salves in the evenings because he was afraid Indian Military personnel would rape our beautiful and young Church going females. During those days soon after 19th December 1961 Indian Military personnel could do anything and go scot-free. Even on 18th December at Calangute Tinto they ruthlessly and without any reason shot dead one Goan Portuguese Professor who was just walking on the road carrying a small bag. The Military thought it seems that he was carrying a bomb in his bag – what a silly excuse a la Agente Monteiro. Their dadageri had no boundary. About 15 days after taking control of Goa and Augada a few soldiers from Samra batch/regiment – as it was called then – came to the Bar Casa Manica and after drinking like “Bebde” started acting as “Bevddas”, threatening and abusing the owner and his friends who were earlier shouting Jai Hind slogans. These military personnel were doing the same many times at many places and going back to Aguada without paying their bills as if Goa was their father’s property.

In order to fool the Goan masses, soon after 19th December Goan market was flooded with cheap Onions and Potatoes, so also "Defichem Ghod" and Passing Show Cigarettes. The Ciagrettes were so cheap that many boys from our locality took up to smoking as passing show and because of cheap "Defichem Ghodd" our local "Sorekar" started producing spurious liquour from it and disgraced the quality of pure Goan Feni. Because of this everyone thought that now things would become cheap in Goa. But soon these cheap commodities suddenly disappeared from Goan market and things started turning out to be worst than ever before. Then one evening Gen. Candeth while coming from Aguada stopped his jeep at Candolim Tinto and in a brief encounter with the locals gathered near the Shop of Joaquim told the locals that things will come to normal but it never happened. Instead soon we were thought for the first time in Goan life how to stand in long que and for long hours even late at night in front of cooperative society to purchase the necessities of daily life. On 18th at Mapusa above Bus Stand and surrounding areas Indian Millitary Helicopter started circling and from the Helicopter a voice was heard from one lady, it was said she was freedom fighter “Laurabai” from Anjuna used as a pimp by Indian Government, she was speaking over the mike telling the people down “ Goenkar bhavani ani bhoinnani, kainch bienakant, ami aileant tumchi soddvon korpak and tumche jivit sudharop korpak. Tumcho amka tenko zai Portugezank Goyantle bhair ghalpak”. Immediately somebody said “Eka Portuguezank Goyantle bhair ghalat ani dusrea Portuguesank Goyant bhitor haddat and Goychem sontenas korat”. In the month of January 1962 the so called freedom fighters with political ambition embarked on novel type of movement that is of holding of meetings in villages where they started to explain to the locals the good effect of Bharati Raj over Portuguese Raj. Their lectures contained nothing but lies and lies. They were the greatest traitors who betrayed Goa and Goans with a Judas Kiss. Many of them were great supporters of Congress and because Congress was associated with such traitors Goan voters kicked Nehru Congress out of Goa Legislative Assembly. The rejection of Nehru’s Congress in the first Goa Legislative Assembly Election by the Goan voters was the clear answer to Nehru and his Congress that his sending of Indian Military to Goa in collaboration with traitor Malyali Krishna Menon was a great mistake. Portuguese had to leave from Goan soil, Goa is not the property of Portuguese’s fathers, neither it is the “Bapaicho Fath” of Nehru and his Congress to do what they wanted to do. Even Morarjee Desai opposed Nehru for sending troops to Goa. By using force and violence in capturing Goa Nehru made mockery of Ghandiji’s principle of Non Violence and on top of it shamelessly adored Bapuji when Bapuji’s doctrine he trampled under his left foot. By sending Millitary to run over Goa Nehru made joke of himself in NAM and also all other international forums where use of force is prohibited to settle bilateral disputes. Nehru was such a traitor that according to one source he wanted Goa to merge with Mahrastra so that once and for all Goa’s issue would get dissolved once Goa’s identity is lost when it was swallowed by Mahrastra. Secondly to please Congressmen V.P. Naik the then Chief Minister of Mahrastra and the then Defence Minister of India Maharastrian Y. B. Chavan Nehru would bend to any ebb to satisfy Maharastrans.

A few hours before Indian Military could enter Goa, the treasury of Banco National Ultramarino - Panjim was emptied of Notes consisting millions of Escudos, these Notes were put into one Mercedes Benz Car and taken to one field at Taleigao and with the help of some local boys including Francis Machado now a well known violist in Kuwait burnt those Notes. This was done with the supervision of a top Portuguese official who said instead of giving these millions to the Indian rogues I better burn them.

A fortnight after the 19th December at about 3.00 p.m., at Mapusa Taxi Stand Indian Millitary displayed its weaponry and its capacity how it can be used against opponents by firing missile type of gun shots in the air. As a young boy I was admiring with rapt attention all the display of this firework. But soon I realized this so called powerful fire work was meant only to kill birds such as “Piddkuim” meaning weak Portuguese Military of Goa hardly 5000 in number compared to about 40,000 thousands India sent to walk over Goa. When in 1962 India faced Chinese aggression the so-called mighty weapons of India turned into zero. For this reason China is still occupying thousands of square meters of Indian land and still India has not been able to reconquer it. Indian might is good only to hit the soft spots.

19th December is marked as the Liberation Day of Goa. Fr. Mendonca one day told his students in the class that 19th December should be marked as the Day of Invasion of Goa because on this date Goa was not liberated but Invaded by India against the wishes of overwhelming majority of Goans. Even many of Freedom Fighters were against giving Goa on silver platter to Indian regime even though they welcomed Indian Military intervention in Goa because they had no other choice to drive Portuguese out of Goa. Hence they prefer something is better than nothing but this something according to them turned out to be worst then anything. Many of our senior citizens who lived a decent and much disciplined life before 19th Dec.1961 are feeling disillusioned and dejected to see the state of affairs currently going in Goa. There is no respect for law and order, there is no respect for discipline and there is no respect for character, there is not respect for life and life security is taken away from people by the goonda raj perpetrated by the politicians for their own benefit. Portuguese was driven out to stop Agente Monteiro type of dadagiri but after 1961 Decemebr 19th Goa created innumerable Agente Monteiros in the form of local gangsters and Goan politicians who are holding mafia type of gangs under their control to lord over Goa and Goans. Goa is become just like any other Goonda State of India. The qualitative life of pristine Goan is disappeared from Goan scene. If things are not put into order, with the backing of current politicians Goa will totally get destroyed which I hope should not take place at least for the benefit of our future generations who otherwise will have to face a stiff life of disillusion. In the name of democracy and freedom Goan masses are looted and made to suffer in many respects. With the pretext of democrary Goa is facing mobocracy. The domocrary of Goa produced dictatorship of few looting and goonda politicians. In the name of fake secularism Goa after 19th Dec. 1961 become worst communal. Lokmanaya Tilak once said "Freedom is my birthright", yes I also say the same but if freedom is not giving security for my life then I say freedom "ghal Nehruchea dobean". This freedom is good for "chor" freedom fighters and "chor" politicians. It is not that there is no development done in Goa during the last 40 years, surely it is truly done but major benefits of the so called liberation are enjoyed by the very few whom we call active politicians of the ruling parties whichever it may be.