Goa Could Have Been Freed ‘Within Hours’ In 1947 If Nehru Wanted: PM Modi

Mumbai: Claiming that Jawaharlal Nehru delayed liberation in Goa in 1947, PM Narendra Modi said Nehru allowed freedom fighters to be killed by the Portuguese police without offering any assistance

PM Modi was addressing a rally at an open ground in Mapusa town of North Goa on Thursday.

“Many people are not aware of the fact that Goa became independent 15 years after the independence of India. He had to live in slavery for another 15 years. India had a power; He had an army, a strong navy. What could have been done in a few hours, the Congress delayed for 15 years. The people of Goa continued to fight for their freedom, satyagrahis braved bullets and continued to tolerate atrocities but the Congress government did not help them,” the Prime Minister said.

“The country’s first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru spoke from the Red Fort and you can listen to his speech on YouTube. He told the Red Fort that he could not send an army to liberate Goa and help the Satyagrahis fight. It means do whatever you want, if you want to die, die, if you want to live, live. That’s what he did! The Congress treated Goa the same way and it is still treating it,” he added.

The Prime Minister praised the work done by Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and said that the fight in these elections was between a “development-oriented BJP and a volatility-oriented Congress”.

“Goa has decided that this wave of development, good governance will not stop. This journey of development for the bright future of Goa will continue under the young leadership of Pramod Sawant.”

Goa goes to the polls on February 14 along with Uttarakhand while the counting will be held on March 10.

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