GFPPanaji, Jan 05 (PTI) The Goa Forward Party todaydemanded that the opinion poll which ensured Goa did not mergewith neighbouring Maharashtra should be taught as part of thestate's school curriculum.
An opinion poll was held on January 16, 1967 to decidewhether Goa, which was then a Union Territory, should remainas a separate entity or merge with Maharashtra.
Campaigns by leaders like Jack Sequeira had ensuredthat the poll returned a verdict that the state remainseparate from Maharashtra.
GFP president Vijai Sardesai today said that the partywould be espousing the cause of "identity" for Goa on theoccasion of Opinion Poll Day scheduled to be held on January16 and would mark it with a public meeting in Margao.
"Successive governments have masked the achievementsof the opinion poll. It should be included in the Historycurriculum for students," he said.
He said the history of Goa does not end with thestate's liberation from Portuguese rule in 1961 but extends toGoa getting statehood and Konkani being recognised as theofficial state language.
He said that the state's history from liberation tostatehood should be included in the curriculum.
Sardesai said that many people felt justice hasnot been done to Jack Sequeira's contribution to the opinionpoll adding that a park in his constituency Fatorda would bededicated to the heroes of the opinion poll.
The GFP will also lobby with the state government tohave a Liberation Day memorial in the state, he added. PTI RPSBNM.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.