Team Herald
MARGAO: Curtorim Congress MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco has slammed Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant for blaming Jawaharlal Nehru for 14-year delay in liberation of Goa from the Portuguese.
Reginaldo said holding Nehru responsible for the delay in liberation of Goa is in bad taste and that a chief minister cannot make such a hollow statement.
“The world knows Nehru’s contribution to the independence of India and later liberation of Goa. Let me remind Sawant that Nehru spent nine years in jail for independence. Nehru is recognised internationally for contribution to foreign policy of India and for the initiatives of Non-Aligned Movement. Nehru stands tall as builder of modern India. Nehru is studied in universities all over the world and each year over 200 books are published by scholars on his politics and foreign policy,” he said.
“I would like to (enlighten) the chief minister that after liberation, it was Nehru, who stood for maintaining Goa’s unique identity within the Union of India,” Reginaldo said.
“One of Nehru’s famous quotes to protect Goa’s identity is as follows: I have felt for a long time that Goa had a distinctive personality, and it would be a pity if anything were done to take away that personality. It may be that gradually time and other factors will bring about changes, but it is not for the government to enforce changes that will affect Goa’s personality. Goa can develop as it likes within the framework of India and thus add to the richness of India,” Reginaldo reminded the chief minister.
“It is the language of the RSS which uses people to destroy the real secular fabric of India. The platform of Army Day used by CM for his utterances is improper and the CM should avoid such statement which brings bad name to the State of Goa and certainly not expected from Sawant for whom I have great regards,” he added.
