The Idea of Constitutional Liberalism in Goa

In the last days of 1961, Goa , Daman and Diu, Portuguese enclaves on  India’s west coast, were occupied by Indian troops in the face of minimal resistance, thus became part of the Indian unions. The government of Antonio Salazar had persisted to the last in claiming that the territories were not colonies by integral parts of the Portuguese nation, Christian and European in culture and as such would be defended. In the event, such diplomatic support as ritual had been able to muster melted away, and after ritual condemnation of India’s act of aggression, and accusations of hypocrisy against prime minister Nehru, the great apostle of non-violence, the world forgot about Goa

Dr. Gaitonde’s account starts by highlighting the important events of Goa’s colonial history since the sixteenth century- he shows that the tradition of Hindu resistance was indeed a long one. The account of even since 1940s is the fruit of many years of research Indian and Portuguese state archives and of collecting oral evidence- the last Portuguese governor general of Goa was one of many protagonists he interviewed. His personal role is described in its place.

This book has been long awaited, and is likely to provide the best balanced and most complete available first –hand history of this unique political drama.