Miscellaneous - This Day That Age   

dated September 7, 1955: Border with Goa sealed

Reiterating the Government's Goa policy, Prime Minister Nehru indicated in the Rajya Sabha on September 6 that no satyagraha by Indians would be allowed in future. He said the land frontier with Goa had been sealed off and no traffic could pass except Goans in India entering Goa and Indian nationals inside Goa returning. The Prime Minister, who was initiating the debate on foreign affairs, declared, "I am quite clear in my mind that in the existing circumstances, satyagraha, not only of the mass variety, but also of individual variety, is undesirable. Whatever has happened has happened, but for us to continue in this way will not only not help in the liberation of Goa but may well come in its way. I can say with some confidence that forces are at work - national, international, economic and others - which are bringing the solution of Goa problem nearer and will ultimately solve it. However, I cannot say when exactly this will happen." Reiterating the Government's peaceful approach, Mr. Nehru declared, "The fact that a war is a little war does not make it less of a war. A Government cannot offer satyagraha against another Government, but various other peaceful methods are open. We can seek economic action in various ways. We have done it progressively during the last six or eight months. It takes a little time to have effect. We have arrived at a stage now when Goa, so far as the land frontiers are concerned, is completely cut off from India."

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