Launching an attack on the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said if Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru wanted, Goa could have been liberated "within hours" in 1947 when India attained independence, but it took 15 years for the state to be freed from Portuguese rule.
Addressing an election rally in Mapusa near here ahead of the February 14 assembly polls, Mr. Modi said the Congress has been treating Goa as its "enemy" and same treatment continues even now which can be seen through the constant political instability imposed upon the state by the party.
“The Congress has never understood the political culture, aspirations of youths of Goa. They always have had a feeling of enmity towards Goa,” the Prime Minister said as he campaigned for the BJP, which is seeking a second straight term in office.
Mr. Modi said there are several historical facts that are kept hidden from people.
“Two-three days back I had spoken in Parliament and told the truth to the country how the Congress destroyed the liberation movement of Goa,” he said.
The Prime Minister said “Many people do not know that Goa got liberated 15 years after India's Independence. (After independence) India had a force in the form of the Army, a strong Navy..the work (liberation of Goa) could have happened in a few hours, but the Congress did not do anything for 15 years." Goa, which attained statehood in 1987, was liberated on December 19, 1961.
Mr. Modi said the Congress "abandoned" Goa when people were struggling for its liberation and satyagrahis were facing bullets.
"The Congress government did not come to their rescue,” he said, continuing his attack on the country's oldest political party.
Mr. Modi said Nehru, India's first Prime Minister, in his speech from the Red Fort had specifically said they will not send the Army to liberate Goa, leaving its people to fend for themselves.
“Is this the way to deal with Goa? The Congress had such thoughts about Goa earlier and even now,” he said.
