Nandkumar M Kamat
Famous for his fierce gaze with the signature mustache and life full of adventures, with four bullet marks on his legs- Prabhakar Sinari can be aptly called Che Guevara of Goa. Prabhakar Sinari’s contributions in 15 years of freedom struggle are no less than Argentine revolutionary Ernesto Che Guevara, who was in India from June 30, 1959 for two weeks long official visit. In his interview on All India Radio, he avoided calling himself a communist and asserted instead that he was a socialist who believed in equality and freedom from exploitation. Sinari would agree with him on that front.
Prabhakar Sinari lived the hard life of a prisoner and guerilla fighter. Like Che joined Castro to liberate Cuba from oppression, Sinari joined Indian forces during Operation Vijay.
Like Che joining Cuban government, after Goa’s Liberation Sinari too worked for the central government with dedication and commendation. On July 1, 1959 when Che was shaking hands and having lunch with PM Nehru in New Delhi, Sinari was plotting armed attacks on Portuguese targets. Things would have been different if Sinari’s Azad Gomantak Dal were to receive training and arms from Cuba. Strangely, Che’s Indian visit went without a single comment on Portuguese colonies in India, Liberation of Dadra and Nagarhaveli and freedom struggle of Goans.
At any given time in Goa there were not more than 5,000 Portuguese compared to native population of four to five lakh. So why Goans couldn’t unite, rise in armed revolt and slaughter the offenders? The answer- there were too many native traitors. A small band of Bolsheviks began the Russian revolution in 1917. A small group of Guerillas under Fidel Castro fought and established a revolutionary government in Cuba. Those who worship Ernesto Che Guevara forget our home grown underground revolutionary fighters. The sacrifices of 15 martyrs who conceived the failed revolt of the natives in 1787, popularly known as Pinto’s revolution were recognized only this year with government decision to erect a memorial in Panaji’s municipal garden.
On December 15, close to 56th Liberation day, one of the bravest underground revolutionary of India, Prabhakar Sinari would see his short autobiographical book ‘From Darkness to Dawn-A first person account of the militant struggle to liberate Goa from Portuguese colonialism (Goa 1556)’ released. It can be considered as an authentic prelude and a supplementary and complimentary record to ‘Operation Vijay- the ultimate solution’ by Shrikant Ramani, chronicling Indian army action.
The only available official documentation of Goa’s freedom struggle, Goa, Daman, Diu – ‘Swatantryaladhyacha Itihas’ (1986, 2011, Art and culture department, 750 pp), written by ex-director of education, Manhohar Hiraba Sardessai is in Marathi. Its detailed but has not reached those who fully depend on publications in English.
Sinari’s book is written in a cinematographic style. The narrative reads like a movie script and vividly creates the scenes in his life in front of the readers’ eyes- his arrest, torture, imprisonment, life in prison, bold escape, taking to arms, hard life in underground camps, planning attacks on Portuguese targets, encounters with the Portuguese soldiers, traitors and their punishment and finally the days of Indian army action. This book needs to be translated in all Indian languages because it is engine of inspiration for India’s young generation.
Sinari’s life changed after witnessing just one brutal event. This story tells us a lot about how revolutionaries are born. He was a student of Escola Moderna in Panaji. His patriotic teacher Sadanand Apu Manpat decided to organize a protest against the arrest of Dr Lohia. Here is the story of Sinari’s complete ideological transformation on June 19, 1946 in his own words- “Manpat urged us to demand the immediate release of Dr Lohia and other freedom fighters. The students were inspired by Manpat and promptly formed a procession, which I was privileged to join. Led by Manpat, the procession marched towards Café Bhonsle and Cine National. When we reached the junction of Café Bhonsle and Cine national, we were confronted by a posse of armed police officers. In those days, policemen wore a thick leather belt with a heavy buckle along with their khaki uniforms. Without warning, the police started beating the students with their belts. Not satisfied with beating non-violent protesting students, the heartless police pushed us down to the ground and trampled on us with their heavy boots. I was concerned about Manpat’s safety. It was then that I spotted my beloved teacher lying in a muddy pool with a gang of police officials kicking him with their hobnail boots. The sight of a bleeding Manpat affected me deeply. I was literally trembling with rage on witnessing this brutal and inhumane assault on my beloved teacher. It was at that moment that a fifteen-year old boy became a revolutionary, determined to throw the Portuguese out of Goa by any means.”
Describing the thoughts which ran in his enraged mind Sinari writes- “the overwhelming feeling was not that of fear, but an agonizing sense of helplessness. I was very upset over my inability to protect my teacher. None of our pleas had any effect on the policemen and officers. I felt impotent with rage over my helplessness. It changed my life. I was a different person after that incident. Not a helpless onlooker, but a nascent revolutionary.
“In writing this Sinari comes very close to the ideals of Ernesto Che Guevara- struggle against state oppression of the unarmed and helpless people. Capturing the scene that day, Sinari writes-“It is the memory of the terror unleashed by the Portuguese police without any provocation, the sound of water splashing in the puddles of rain water as the police without any provocation attempted to literally beat the life out of my teacher.
And, the awareness that there was no one to protect us but ourselves. These emotions run deep in my being and strong enough to disturb my sleep even to this day”. Sinari’s book is an acid attack on Salazarist sadistic regime. The book is not for fainthearted or for pacifists,Gandhians, globalists, internationalists or apologists of the Portuguese empire. It is meant to be read by young patriots who live, love, build, care for and are prepared to die for this great nation. We salute Che Guevara of Goa- Prabhakar Sinari.