MARGAO
Cuncolkars commemorated the 443rd anniversary of the First War of Independence popularly known as the Chieftains Uprising Commemoration Day on Wednesday as people from all walks of life paid tributes to the 16 Chieftains who sacrificed their lives to protect their land, religion and culture.
Social Welfare Minister Subhash Phal Dessai, Leader of Opposition and Cuncolim MLA Yuri Alemao, president of Freedom Fighters Association Rohidas Desai and others paid tributes to the Chieftains who were killed by the Portuguese after inviting for peace talks at the Assolna Fort.
In his address, the Social Welfare Minister said that Cuncolim occupies a prominent place in the history as the local people staged the first ever revolt against colonial powers in the country. “It was the Chieftains of Cuncolim and the local people who rose up to the Portuguese against religious conversions and to protect their land and culture,” he added.
Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao recalled that the 1583 Cuncolim Revolt was not just the first War of Independence in India, but in entire Asia. Expressing his gratitude to all the 40 MLAs, besides Chief Minister Pramod Sawant for supporting the motion to introduce the Cuncolim revolt in the history books, Alemao said the Chieftain Memorial will be beautified by next year with the portraits of the 16 Chieftains. “Cuncolim occupies an important place in the history of Goa and India. Not only were the people involved in engineering a revolt against the Portuguese, but Cuncolkars participated in the freedom movement. It was freedom fighter late Shabu Desai, who took out a jyot to oppose Goa’s merger with Maharashtra,” he said.
