India had got independence from British rule on August 15, 1947 but Goa remained under the control of portuguese until ‘Operation Vijay’ was undertaken in 1961.
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| Goa liberated from Portuguese on December 19, 1961 (pexels) |
Goa Liberation Day is celebrated every year on December 19. It marks the day of liberation of Goa from the Portuguese rule. Goa was ruled by Portuguese for over 450 years but finally in 1961, it had been freed from the Portuguese rule and Goa became part of the India.
Why is Goa Liberation Day celebrated on December 19?
On December 18, 1961 ‘Operation Vijay’ was undertaken by Indian Armed Forces to free the Goa from portuguese. This operation was undertaken when Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was the prime minister of India. The Operation Vijay sustained for 36 hours and by the evening of december 19, 1961 Portuguese Governor General Vassalo De Silva had signed an ‘instrument of Surrender’ in front of Indian Armed Forces and Goa became the Union territory of India.
India had got independence from British rule on August 15, 1947 but Goa remained under the control of portuguese until ‘Operation Vijay’ was undertaken. December 19, 2021 marks the 60th anniversary of the Goa Liberation Day.
After the liberation, Goa and Daman & Diu became the Union territories of India. Then, Goa was tried to merge in the state of Maharashtra but Goans rejected this effort through plebiscite. In 1987, Goa became the smallest and 25th state of the India. Daman and Diu continued to be Union territory.
A war memorial at Indian Naval Ship Gomantak was constructed in memory of seven young gallant sailors and other personnel who led their lives on December 19, 1961 in the ‘Operation Vijay.’
The Indian Navy officials pay homage to the martyrs at a War memorial in Goa on this day.
Prime minister Narendra Modi to attend Liberation Day celebrations
Prime minister Narendra Modi will visit Goa on the occasion of Liberation Day and will felicitate the freedom fighters and veterans of ‘Operation Vijay.’ PM will also visit Martyrs memorial in Panaji to pay floral tributes. He will attend Sail parade and flypast at Miramar, Panaji at around 2:30 pm.
PM Modi will also lay the foundation stone for the International University of Legal Education and Research of Bar Council of India Trust at Goa.