Goa after Independence

lot of action has happened in Goa after independence. Goa, initially, straight after Independence was included into India as a Union Territory along with other the other Portuguese colonies of Daman and Diu. However, Goa has come a long way since then. It has had its first election, then its statehood. The Statehood of Goa finally delivered its actual independence. In 1963, the first assembly elections took place in Goa making Dayanand Bandodkar, of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), the first Chief Minister.

After the Liberation and the elections, the most important concern that came to the front was the issue whether Goa should remain a political unit in itself or whether it should merge itself with the existent Indian state of Maharashtra. This concern was steered by the two principal parties of the state of Goa at that time – the Maharastrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and the United Goans Party (UGP). The ruling party – the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party – wanted to merge Goa with the neighboring state of Maharastra because of the similarities of culture. The United Goans Party, led by Dr. Jack Sequeira, held an opposite view; they wanted to maintain and preserve Goa's distinctive identity.

The Konkani language became the epicenter of the dispute. The UGP, contrary to the opinions of the MGP, believed that Konkani was an autonomous language – and not a dialect of Marathi – and that its under-development was due to the 450 year Portuguese suppression. The UGP persevered on upholding Goa’s historical identity. The issue picked political force enough to draw the attention of the Congress leadership in New Delhi, finally resulting in a historic first-of-its-kind opinion poll, to resolve the matter.

This resolution was taken by Smt. Indira Gandhi, who was the presiding prime minister of India. So she decided to do so by holding an Opinion Poll in a democratic fashion. There were two options for the people of Goa to vote for:

1. To remain a Union Territory of India. Or

2. To merge with the neighboring state of Maharastra; while the other erstwhile Portuguese colonies of Daman and Diu merge with the state of Gujarat.

This Opinion Poll was held on the 16th of January 1967 and an undisputed decision of the people led to declaring the retention of Goa's individual status.

This fact, however, did not stop the MG party from winning the polls in 1964 and for the next consecutive terms – in 1967 and in 1972. He remained in the office of Chief Minister until 1973.

Smt. Shashikala Kakodkar – daughter of Dayanand Bandodkar – became the first lady Chief Minister in India after Dayanand Bandodkar’s death in 1973.

After several years of deterioration of the state of Goa and 8 months of upheaval and President’s Rule, elections were again held in January 1980. The MGP was voted out of power. They were replaced by the Congress party. Henceforth, Pratapsing Rane – the scion of the Sattari Rane family –took over as Chief Minister.

Goa after independence finally became a state on August 12th 1987, and Konkani was declared as Goa's official language in 1992.