New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that the Congress "abandoned" Goa when people were struggling for its liberation and satyagrahis were facing bullets.
Addressing a rally in Mapusa near Panaji days ahead of election, PM Modi said Congress never understood the political culture and aspirations of youths of Goa and had been treating the state as its "enemy".
"The same treatment continues even now which can be seen through the constant political instability imposed upon the state by the party," PM Modi said.
Modi said there were several historical facts kept hidden from people. He said if Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru wanted, Goa could have been liberated "within hours" in 1947 when India attained Independence.
"But it took 15 years for the state to be freed from Portuguese rule," PM Modi said. Goa, which attained statehood in 1987, was liberated on December 19, 1961.
"(After independence) India had a force in the form of the Army, a strong Navy..the work (liberation of Goa) could have happened in a few hours, but the Congress did not do anything for 15 years," the Prime Minister said.
Modi said Nehru, in his speech from the Red Fort, had specifically said they would not send the Army to liberate Goa, leaving its people to fend for themselves.
"Is this the way to deal with Goa? The Congress had such thoughts about Goa earlier and even now," he said.
PM Modi also said that for the BJP, Goa stands for "Governance, Opportunity, and Aspiration". Reiterating the slogan of 'Sabka Sath, Sabk Vikas', Modi said that Goa's model of providing facilities to 100% of its population without any discrimination was at the core of BJP's ideals.
"Goa has decided not to let the wave of good governance diminish, every voter will vote for BJP in February 14 Assembly poll," said PM Modi in his rally.
Goa will go to the polls on February 14. The results will be announced on March 10.
(With inputs from PTI)