Says fewer freedom fighters would have lost lives
CM Pramod Sawant pays tributes at the Martyrs Memorial at Azad Maidan, Panaji along with Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai, WRD Minister Subhash Shirodkar, Power Minister Sudin Dhavalikar, LoP Yuri Alemao and Freedom Fighters Association President Rohidas
Photo Credits: Narayan Pissurlenkar
PANAJI
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant chose 'Goa Revolution Day' on Wednesday to once again repeat his allegation of 'delay' in liberating Goa for 14 years after India earned its independence.
In his speech at the official function to honour freedom fighters and mark the historic day, Sawant said several lives of freedom fighters could have been saved if the then Government of India had acted swiftly to liberate Goa in 1947 itself.
The statement was loaded to apparently bait the Opposition Congress which Sawant has often done in the past, seeking to blame the grand old party's tallest icon Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru who was Prime Minister of India during that 14-year period between India's independence and 1961 when Goa got liberated with military action.
Sawant went on to add that Goa would have seen the engine of development work in the State much earlier.
Goa Freedom Fighters Association president, Rohidas Desai and other freedom fighters attended the event held at the Azad Maidan.
Earlier Sawant accompanied Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai in paying homage to freedom fighters by laying floral tributes at the Martyrs Memorial.
Meawnhile, Desai who currently heads the Freedom Fighters Association expressed deep concern over the apathy in the administration and called for more accountability and discipline among government officers and Ministers.
“Law and order is not in place. There should be discipline among the government officers and Ministers. They must assist people in making things easier in their interface with the government," Desai said.
Desai also called on fellow freedom fighters to display more selflessness and moral clarity.
“Freedom fighters should think of others, give opportunities to those in need, and not be driven by greed,” Desai said.
