BY MOHAMMAD TARIQUE SALEEM
On June 18, 1946, a significant chapter in India’s freedom struggle unfolded in the Portuguese-ruled territory of Goa. That day, under relentless rain in Margao, the spark of liberation was ignited as the first group of satyagrahis prepared to march. At the heart of this bold movement stood Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia, a visionary socialist leader whose courage, voice, and commitment to justice challenged the brutal grip of colonialism.
Dr. Lohia’s speech during the downpour electrified the crowds, stirring a spirit of rebellion. His call for Goa’s freedom from Portuguese rule resonated deeply. The colonial authorities, sensing the threat he posed, arrested him and imprisoned him in the notorious Aguada Jail. There, he endured severe torture, yet refused to yield. His arrest became symbolic of India’s unbreakable will. Mahatma Gandhi himself wrote in his journal Harijan, “India’s soul is imprisoned in Goa,” declaring that Dr. Lohia was no ordinary man.
Dr. Lohia was eventually released on October 9, 1946. But the movement he had sparked grew stronger. It took 15 more years of persistent struggle until, finally, on December 19, 1961, Goa was liberated. Dr. Lohia’s role in sowing the seeds of resistance remains a cornerstone of that historic victory.
To honor this legacy, former cabinet minister Shri Rajendra Chaudhary, under the direction of Samajwadi Party National President Akhilesh Yadav, participated in a series of commemorative events in Goa from December 18 to 22, 2023. On Goa Liberation Day, he hoisted the national flag at the Herbal Garden and paid floral tributes at the statue of Dr. Lohia inside the Jail Museum at Aguada, where the leader was once held. A life-sized statue of Dr. Lohia now stands in the same barrack as a tribute to his sacrifice. Shri Chaudhary also visited the iconic Lohia Maidan in Margao and offered floral respects at the statue there.
The path of justice that Dr. Lohia walked continues to inspire leaders like Akhilesh Yadav, who remains committed to preserving democratic values and the spirit of freedom. As we honor Goa’s liberation, we also remember the fearless spirit of a leader who believed that resistance to injustice was not only necessary—but sacred.
