Goa - Prelude to liberation
The early years – From the very beginning, since the conquest by Albuquerque in 1510, there were many unsuccessful attempts to overthrow the Portuguese. The earliest revolt took place in 1550 when the people of Assolna, Velim, Cuncolim, Ambelim and Veroda launched an attack on the colonialists but they failed in their attempt. Their properties were confiscated.Their leaders were arrested and executed.
Then came the well known and well organized plot, called the “Pinto Revolt” in 1787. The leaders of the plot were some prominent priests of Goa belonging to the “Pinto Family” who had the support of some military officers of Goan origin. A large number of arrests were made and criminal proceedings launched against its leaders. 47 members of the group were arrested and prosecuted as plotters including 17 priests.
On 14th January 1835, a Goan, Bernardo Peres de Silva, was appointed Perfect with the powers of Governor of Goa by the government of Queen Maria II of Portugal. He was born not far away from Old Goa and received his education at the Rachol seminary, the Goa Medical School and then Portugal. There he became politically active as a liberal and this eventually led to his appointment to Goa as the “Perfect or Governor”, the first and the last native Goan to be so appointed. His appointment was not liked by his counter factions at Lisbon and he was compelled to relinquish his post soon after his arrival at Goa. After being in office for only 17 days, he was arrested by the military on February 1st 1835.
A new Governor, the previous Viceroy Manuel de Portugal e Castro was appointed in his place. Bernardo Peres de Silva was deported to Bombay and the army took control of Goa during the interim period. In the counter-revolution that followed, a faction of the army loyal to him took control of Terekhol fort and invited him back .This eventually resulted in a showdown at Terekhol fort where his supporters lost in spite of British support. His supporters and troops loyal to him were massacred and he subsequently took refuge in India and never returned back to Goa.
The Ranes of Goa based in Sattari and Sanquelim have been well known for their attempts to dislodge the Portuguese from Goa. In all there were reportedly about fourteen rebellions out of which the most successful one was organized by Dipaji Rane in 1852. He carried on the fight against the Portuguese for three and half years and eventually the Portuguese government made peace with him. The Portuguese agreed to extend protection to village institutions, abandon repressive religious measures and grant general amnesty. Dipaji Rane was awarded a sword of honor and the honorary title of Captain. There was another unsuccessful revolt in 1895 by Dada Rane. The final revolt of the Ranes took place in 1912.
There were two distinct groups fighting the cause, one led by Mourya Sawant from the north and the other by Jhil Sawant from the south. They were joined by Quistulo, who was a Christian toddy- tapper. The Portuguese government ordered their contingent of Negro troops all the way from Mozambique to assist them in quelling the revolt. They ultimately succeeded and the three leaders were taken. Quistulo was shot dead at Assonora in the house of his mistress who was bribed by the Portuguese to give away his whereabouts. Mourya Sawant was beheaded whilst asleep; and Jhil Sawant was caught, imprisoned and finally deported to the island of Principe in Portuguese West Africa, where he died in exile.
Alongside these rebellions was the attempt by some members of Goa’s indigenous elite to participate in the colonial and national governments of Portugal. A western educated elite emerged in Goa who tried to reform their relationship with the Portuguese. As early as 1822 Goans were permitted to elect, on a franchise determined by property and religious affiliation, two representatives to the Portuguese parliament. In 1910 official discrimination against Hindus was repealed which in turn led to an outburst of intellectual, cultural and political life in Goa.
Unfortunately, in 1926 all of this activity ended in Goa, as well as in Portugal. This happened because in 1926 Portugal was taken over by right-wing Prime minister Dr. Antonio de Salazar who subsequently became a dictator. In 1933 Salazar’s ” Acta Colonial” rescinded the limited franchise earlier available to Goans. Many of Goa’s educated elite, discouraged by this sudden and unexpected reversal, emigrated to Bombay. It was primarily in Bombay that nationalist movements arose to challenge Portuguese colonialism. The most influential Goan nationalist, Tristao de Braganza Cunha, established a relationship with the Indian National Congress. It was his expectation, as well as Nehru’s, that once the British had left the subcontinent, Goa would almost immediately be abandoned by the Portuguese government.
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