Team Herald
PANJIM: Addressing the 35th Statehood Day event, Sawant said that the government has decided to observe July 15 as the day to mark the Cuncolim revolt, which was the first rebellion against the then Portuguese government in 1583.
The revolt had taken place at Cuncolim village in South Goa. Five Jesuit priests along with a Portuguese civilian and 14 Goans were killed in the incident.
Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai was also present at the function.
Sawant said the Central government has asked States to mark one day of the year for paying tributes at the National War Memorial in New Delhi.
It is a day when a chief minister, minister, or any representative of the State will pay respects to martyrs at the National War Memorial, he said.
Sawant said Goa has seen a lot of development since it was accorded Statehood in 1987.
The Chief Minister pressed on the need for promoting the use of Konkani in administration as a means of developing the regional-cum-official language. He pointed out that Goa achieved Statehood on the basis of language, only after Konkani was granted Official Language status.
On the occasion, 12 former Chief Ministers and 23 organizations and companies with noteworthy contributions towards the development of the State were felicitated.
The Chief Minister announced that during the Statehood Day function every year, the government will felicitate organizations that have contributed to the development of Goa. He said that next year, 36 more organizations will be felicitated.
