PANAJI
Veteran freedom fighter Ramdas Chafadkar was felicitated by Samrat Shantaram Kanekar, treasurer of Samrat Club Sankhalim. Krishna Gawas, president, Samrat Club Sakhali welcomed all and explained the mission of the Club. “Samrat Club has been established to weave everybody in a cultural friendship, and to celebrate our traditional festivals, occasions, art, culture, music, plays etc,” said Gawas. Shubhada Sawaikar interviewed Ramdas Chafadkar who recalled his memories of the freedom struggle. “Inspired by the work of freedom fighters in India, Swatantravir Sawarkar, Bhagat Singh and Mohan Ranade who strived hard for Goa’s liberation, I participated in the freedom struggle,” said Chafadkar. Apart from distributing pamphlets, he was in the team who attacked Banastari police station on January 1, 1955, and Haldona police station. He was also involved in the kidnapping of residore and in the attack on Pali mines. He was caught by the police several times and beaten too. He was shot in the leg by the police. The Portuguese court ordered a 24 years’ jail penalty to him on 26 December 1956. Chafadkar, who has been felicitated by various organisations in the past, gifted his book of memoirs to Samrat Club.
