Goa Marks Chieftains Martyrs Day In Delhi

Union Minister Shripad Yesso Naik, the Lok Sabha member from north Goa, led a delegation comprising Rohidas Desai, a freedom fighter of Goa’s liberation and officials from the state government in offering tributes at the National War Memorial.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked every state to mark one day of the year for paying tribute to martyrs at the National War Memorial, Naik said.

He said the government of Goa has decided to pay respects at the National War Memorial on July 15 every year to mark Chieftains Martyrs Day, the first liberation struggle against Portuguese rule in the state.

The delegation-led by Naik also paid homage to second lieutenant Jayendra Jaisingh Rane, who hailed from Goa and laid down his life during the India-Pakistan war in 1971 and Lt N A Mayekar of 11th Sikh regiment who laid down his life in 2000.

The Chieftains Martyrs Day is an important milestone in Goa’s history. On July 15, 1583, village heads of Cuncolim in South Goa revolted against Portuguese rule by killing five Jesuit priests, who had visited the village for forcible conversion to Christianity, and 14 locals.

The local Portuguese garrison retaliated by executing 15 village chieftains who participated in the revolt. One, however, managed to escape and lived to tell the tale of the brutalities. The 16 chieftains were invited by the Portuguese to the Assolna fortress unarmed for peace talks and were attacked once the heavy doors closed behind them.

After killing 15 chieftains, the Portuguese razed the temples in Cuncolim and the traditional system of land sharing and the institution of Gram Samstha were destroyed, a senior official said.

The villagers later constructed a memorial to honour the chieftains as true martyrs of Cucolim.?Goa has decided to observe July 15 as the day to mark the Cuncolim revolt. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had termed the 1583 revolt as the first revolt against colonial powers not only in Goa but in the entire country.

(With PTI inputs)