Nehru had refused to intervene in Goa to protect his peace-loving image: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday launched a blistering attack on the Congress, saying that country’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru had refused to send the Indian Army to liberate Goa, which resulted in the killings of many Goans fighting for freedom.

During his speech on Motion of Thanks in Rajya Sabha, PM Mod blamed Prime Minister Jawarharlal Nehru for delaying Goa's liberation and keeping the coastal state under Portuguese rule after India's got independence.

"If lessons were taken from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's initiatives to integrate Hyderabad and Junagadh, Goa would have got independence along with India," he said.

PM Modi also quoted from a speech made by Jawaharlal Nehru from the Red Fort to target Congress.

"I further quote him (Nehru): 'The ones going there are welcome to do so. But it should be remembered that the ones calling themselves satyagrahis should remember the principles of satyagraha. Sending forces is not the way of satyagraha," said PM Modi adding that this arrogance of Nehru deprived Goa of liberation for many years

"Nehru had refused to intervene in Goa as he was worried more about his international image," the PM said citing media reports of that time period.

Towards the end of his speech touching upon the freedom of speech issues, Modi cited some examples where people were jailed for criticising Nehru, and Lata Mangeshkar’s brother was fired from All India Radio for doing a show based on poems written by V D Savarkar.

Goa was freed from foreign rule in December 1961 after India's military intervention. It was granted full statehood in 1987.