Kranti Diwas, was a day that lit a fire in the
hearts of Goans and inspired them to fight for freedom from Portuguese rule
AMBIKA MORAJKAR
June 18 was not just another date in history. It was a day when hundreds of brave Goans gathered and raised their voices against Portuguese rule. Many of them were arrested, beaten, and silenced, but they never gave up on their dream of a free Goa. On this day, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia addressed the people with words that continue to inspire us even today:
“Gomantak is part of Hindustan, and Portugal rules over it as the British do in the rest of the country. This is an accident, a bad dream, and it will pass. The state of Hindustan will come. Our people are creating it… I am not asking you today to overthrow Portuguese rule. That will come in its own time… People of Gomantak, think freely, speak freely, write freely…”
Today, these may seem like ordinary words to us. But for the people of Goa who lived under fear, restrictions, and suppression, these words meant everything. They were hope. They were courage. They were a voice for people who had been forced into silence for years. They awakened a spirit that could no longer be controlled.
Revolutionaries like Dr. Lohia, Dr. Juliao Menezes, Vatsala Kirtani, and many others suffered violently for the cause of freedom. They were arrested, tortured, and treated brutally, yet their determination never changed. Their spirit remained strong. They continued to dream of a Goa where people could live freely and proudly.
Sadly, many of us today do not know the real story behind 18th June. We celebrate the day, but often forget the sacrifices made by those who fought for our freedom. The Goa we enjoy today exists because countless people were willing to risk everything for it.
As a Goan youth, I sometimes feel saddened when I look at the condition of our state. Our freedom fighters dedicated their lives to protecting Goa, its people, its culture, and its identity. Yet today, many of these things seem to be slowly slipping away from our hands. One thing that worries me deeply is the growing neglect of our mother tongue. Konkani is not just a language; it is our identity, our history, and the voice of our ancestors. When a language is forgotten, a part of its culture is lost with it. If we fail to value and preserve Konkani, future generations may grow up disconnected from their roots and heritage. This makes me wonder, is this what our freedom fighters dreamed of when they sacrificed so much for Goa? They fought not only for freedom from foreign rule but also for the right of Goans to preserve their unique identity, culture, and traditions. It is now our responsibility to ensure that these values are protected and passed on to the generations that follow. Goans, let us wake up and remember the struggles of those who came before us. Let us honour them not only by remembering their names, but by protecting what they fought for.
This Goa Revolution Day, let us be grateful for the freedom we enjoy today and not take it for granted. Let us speak our mother tongue with pride, cherish our culture, and preserve Goa’s unique identity. Let us keep alive the same spirit, courage, and love for Goa that was ignited on June 18, 1946. Because freedom is not only about winning a battle, it is also about preserving what that battle was fought for.
