A LITTLE FREEDOM FIGHTER – brought to you by Dr. Ferndinand dos Reis Falcao

(This article is taken from Gomantak Times)

It was in 1952, I was about 13 years old.  After completion of my Portuguese studies, and due to financial reasons I joined 7 other girls, working at the match factory in Ponda and resided at the nearby church.

We served as the perfect, unsuspected camouflage for visiting freedom fighters.  Those from across the border, in Maharashtra, met regularly, (Mr. Glorio Furtado, Mr. Polycarp D’Silva, Mr. Roque Santan Fernandes, Mr. Pociano, Mr. Eusebio Viegas and others).  They would hurdle us in a room and then exchange packets at about 3 am and leave immediately.  I peeped to see that it was ammunitions, grenades, guns, propaganda hand bills, etc.  For another one and half year, I was forced to live alone, I volunteered to disperse discretely and innocently the hand bills, unaware of the grave consequences, if detected.  Fearing repercussions of my unwise activities and involvement, I left the place.  Temporarily, residing at the house of Mr. Juliao Menezes, at Assolna, my relative, I noticed the same hand bills, Contra Roma e Bernabes and other literature, which I swiftly transferred.  The place was raided at 10 pm at night and the whole house was ransacked but luckily no incriminating material was found.  My hind sight worked.  One slogan I memorized “vande mataram, Goa amchi mai des, Konkani amchi avoi, cristao, muslims sogle bai bai.”

I flatly refused their suggestion to claim any benefits.  I am proud that I humbly contributed in a small way towards freedom cause.

Mrs XYZ, Chinchinim. (As narrated to Nelson Lopes, Chinchinim) Name withheld on request. (Courtesy of Gomantak Times) brought to you by Dr. Ferdinand dos Reis Falcao.