Nation was liberated from the British yoke on August 15, 1947.
Areas in the country between Gujarat and Maharashtra viz. Goa, Dadra, Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu continued reeling under foreign rule of Portuguese. It was quite unusual that Prime Minister of the day did not evince interest in liberating these regions right deep within the country and allowed it so till 1954.
Under the leadership of Rajabhau Wakankar, patriotic and committed RSS swayamsevaks picked up the gauntlet and ensured, these territories were liberated from Portuguese domination and merged into the nation effectively.
Plans to liberate were strategized in Silvassa under the able directions of a senior, learned RSS functionary Vishwanath Narawane. Famous Marathi singer Sudhir Phadke was delegated responsibility of arranging funds so as to procure arms for self-defence while pushing out foreigners lock, stock and barrel. He organised musical nights and concerts in association with some of the famous Bollywood singers of those years to generate funds. Entire operation nicknamed Muktavahini was duly blessed by the then RSS Sar Sanghchalak Guru Golwalkar. In July/August 1954, they stormed police stations, courts and jails simultaneously in different groups all over to physically push out Portuguese. Use of arms were restricted to self-defence alone.
Portuguese panicked, saw no point in resisting and stretching the domination further with rest of the country under self-rule and decided to surrender. Brave swayamsevaks occupied the main building and captured Chief Administrator Fidalgo and his wife as hostages. After national flag was unfurled on top of the building on Aug. 2, 1954 and entire area captured, Fidalgo and wife were allowed to leave absolutely unharmed. Entire operation was conducted by 116 swayamsevaks so meticulously that it sounds unbelievable today, after six decades of independence. Similarly United Front of Goans, founded by swayamsevaks, captured Portuguese Police Station at Dadra and declared Dadra liberated. RSS went on to capture territories of Naroli, Phiparia and capital of Silvassa. Portuguese forces that escaped and moved towards Nagar Haveli, were captured at Khandvel, forced to retreat till they surrendered to the Union Police at Udava on August 11, 1954. An Administration headed by Appasaheb Karmalkar as the Administrator of Dadra, Nagar Haveli was established before being handed over to the Union.
Leaders of the freedom force Baburao Bhide, Vinayak Rao Apte, Babasaheb Purandare, Dr. Shridhar Gupte, Bindumadhava Joshi, Maj. Prabhakar Kulkarni, Shrikrshna Bhide, Nana Karjekar, Tryambak Bhatt, Vishnu Bhonsle, Smt. Lalita Phadke and Hemwati Natekar were duly awarded freedom-fighter’s pension and other facilities by Nehru government yet did not allow them recognition of being freedom-fighters owing to their inviolable links with RSS. It was only during NDA rule that PM Vajpayee awarded the status of their being honourable freedom-fighters.
Patriotism of RSS and their commitment to the nation is beyond reproach of anyone.
Discussion about this post