Goa's Late Liberation: How Operation Vijay Changed History

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant highlighted the significant role of freedom fighters in pressuring the central government to undertake 'Operation Vijay,' which led to Goa's liberation from Portuguese rule in 1961, 14 years after India's independence. Sawant emphasized the potential for faster development had Goa been liberated earlier.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday emphasized the pivotal role of freedom fighters in compelling the then central government to initiate 'Operation Vijay,' leading to Goa's liberation from Portuguese rule in 1961.

Addressing a gathering on Goa Revolution Day, Sawant remarked on the impact of Goa's late liberation on its development, noting that had the state been freed with the rest of India in 1947, its growth trajectory would have been significantly faster.

Goa Revolution Day, celebrated on June 18, commemorates a landmark meeting in 1946, where freedom fighter Ram Manohar Lohia called for Goa's liberation. Sawant also reflected on the development strides Goa has made in the past decade under the BJP-led government.