Goa pays rich tributes to martyrs on its ''Revolution Day''

Panaji, June 18 (UNI) Goa Governor S C Jamir and Chief Minister Pratapsinh Rane today remembered all the known and unknown martyrs on the occasion of the 'Revolution Day', which is celebrated across the state in memory of veteran socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia who gave a clarion call for liberating the state on this day in 1946 from the clutches of the colonisers, the Portuguese.

The duo, accompanied by their respective wives, besides ministers and top bureaucrats including Chief Secretary J B Singh and Speaker Francisco Sardinha placed floral wreathes at the Martyrs' Memorial at Azad Maidan in the heart of the city and paid their respects to the freedom fighters.

The armed police, with guns reversed, observed silence in respect of the departed souls amid blowing of bugles as the dignitaries placed the wreathes.

Earlier, the Governor and the Chief Minister honoured 22 freedom fighters with a shawl and a momento, and recalled the supreme sacrifices made for liberating Goa from the 450-year-old Portuguese rule in 1961.

Speaking on the occasion, the Governor called for ''revolutionising systems in all walks of life in Goa including politics for a united, progressive and prosperous state''.

He also urged the people to participate in this process besides rededicating themselves for continuing the tradition of peace and hormony in the state.

Mr Rane pledged to strive his best for the all-round development of the people, particularly the youth, through various schemes.

Opposition leader and former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar was also present on the occasion.

Two freedom fighters expressed their anguish over the decreasing importance of the Konkani and Marathi languages.

Earlier, scores of school kids took out a procession through the Panaji streets and holding aloft the national flags raised slogans ''18th June, zindabad and Ram Manohar Lohia Zindabad''.

Students of Bal Bhavan stole the show with a patriotic song recalling the glorious services of the freedom fighters who sacrified their lives for the liberation of Goa.

Interestingly, most of the bureaucrats were conspicously absent at this significant annual event.

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