I cannot conceive India as being the “motherland” of Goa, as the Indian Union came into existence in 1947, and as Republic of India in 1950. Goa came into existence as India Portuguesa since 1510 (older than the Taj Mahal) and as Estado da India Portuguese, an overseas province of Portugal (in the same sense as the Falkland Islands are to UK and Hawaii is to US) since 1757(a hundred years before the Sepoy Mutiny).
Members of the Estado da India Portuguesa had full-fledged Portuguese citizenship since 1757 – just ask Dr. Francisco Luis Gomes (or his statue that stands in a park at Campal), who represented the Estado da India Portuguesa in the Cortes Gerais 1861-1869.
Officially, it was the USSR veto that overrode the Security Council draft resolution to chuck the Indian Armed forces back to borders. It is my gut feeling that a certain group of Goans who approached the UN later circa 1964 re Goa’s status was not entertained due to the fact that there was no Goan citizenship – those Goans were Portuguese citizens, and therefore due to the veto, had no “voice”. Therefore, today’s complainants about “Russian mafia” in Goa ought to know that certain Indian quarters are paying back the ex-USSR the favour …
Rather, Goa was “abducted” by a “step-mother”. Just check the behaviour of those naval squatters at Dabolim, who are literally forcing Goans to look for an airport elsewhere. Perhaps certain journosand historians require to get their facts and perspectives right.
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