Petition wants Goa freed from 'Indian invasion'; sedition case filed

The Crime Branch of the Goa Police on Monday registered an FIR against a signatory of an online petition addressed to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and others, which demands that Goa needs to be freed from "Indian invasion" and "illegal occupation".

The First Information Report filed under section 124 A (sedition) read with 34 (common intention) has been filed on the basis of a complaint of one Nitin Patkaro, who heads a Goa-based organisation 'Revolutionary Indians' against the petition, which has already been endorsed online by over 4000 signatories.

"Atanasio Lobo and others with their common intention made online petition addressed to Heads of Nations under the caption 'Free Goa from Indian Invasion' and its illegal occupation against UN resolution' thereby, attempting to excite disloyalty towards the government established law in India. Hence, offence under Section 124 A read with 34 IPC," the FIR filed by the Crime Branch reads.

Goa was ruled by the Portuguese for a period of 451 years before it was liberated by the Indian armed forces in 1961. Prior to the liberation of Goa orchestrated through 'Operation Vijay', Portugal had raised before the UN, the issue of the advance of the Indian armed forces into the coastal region, which was still held by the colonial forces.

The online petition uploaded by Atanasio Lobo, addressed to Guterres and other world leaders and diplomat however requests that the UN General Assembly resolve to, and re-instate Goa in the UN list of “Non-Self Governing Territories”.

"Goa might not have attained sovereignty but that right does not lapse, a right that cannot be assumed by others, a right which is inherent to people. In this case, the right belongs to the Goans and has to be exercised consciously and freely within the framework established by the United Nations Charter," the petition demands, adding that there is urgent need for the "current members of the UN to review the matter of Goa’s invasion and continuing illegal occupation by India".