Miscellaneous - This Day That Age   

dated August 17, 1955: Parliament tribute

The Lok Sabha adjourned for half an hour on August 16 as a mark of respect to the memory of the satyagrahis who were shot dead by the Portuguese authorities on August 15. Earlier, the members stood in silence for two minutes. Prime Minister Nehru condemned the behaviour of the Portuguese authorities as "brutal and uncivilised in the extreme" and paid a tribute to those who gave their lives in the satyagraha. Mr. Nehru referred in particular to the courage shown by a woman satyagrahi, Mrs. Subhadra Sagar. " This," said Mr. Nehru, "is not the end of the story. Other things have happened from day to day and are likely to happen. The story will not end till the objective is achieved." He reiterated that India would continue her basic policy of a peaceful approach to the Goa problem and said: "The Government do not propose to be hustled by any activity of the Portuguese authorities or be forced into what they (the Government) consider as wrong action." The Rajya Sabha also adjourned on August 16 for half an hour after question-time in memory of the martyrs in the cause of Goa's liberation. The Home Minister, Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant, characterised the action of the Portuguese as barbarous. Reiterating India's determination to pursue peaceful means to solve the Goa issue, he said the firing by Portuguese authorities on unarmed satyagrahis was not a question of politics but a question of civilised behaviour and human relationships.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Cartoon
The Hindu Crossword 8374
Solution to puzzle 8373
Dharma wins finally
dated August 17, 1955: Satyagrahis shot dead
dated August 17, 1955: Parliament tribute
Weather

Copyright © 2005, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu