George Vaz | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | (1919-07-14)14 July 1919 |
| Died | 1999(1999-00-00) (aged 79–80) |
| Political party | Communist Party of India |
| Other political affiliations | Goan Peoples Party Frente Popular |
| Movement | Goa Liberation Movement |
George Vaz (14 July 1919 – 1999) was an Indian freedom fighter, trade unionist and politician.
George Vaz was born on 14 July 1919 inBombay to Sebastião Xavier Vaz.[1]
Vaz was associated with the Goan Youth League,[1] which was founded byT. B. Cunha.[2]
Vaz was greatly inspired byRam Manohar Lohia and the events ofGoa Revolution Day, describing Lohia's inspiration of Goan freedom fighters as, "18th June was like a big Light House that guided many ships traveling in the sea."[3]
In 1946, he was chosen as a member of the executive committee of the GCC. On 28 October 1946, he was arrested after he attempted to deliver a speech inSanquelim, following which he was imprisoned and then left across the border ofPortuguese Goa on 19 November that year. On 15 December, he was arrested once again for attempting to enter Goa. On 12 February 1947, he was tried by the TMT and fined and imprisoned for three months.[1]
Vaz then moved toBombay, working for theGoa liberation movement from there. He hosted public meetings and publishedflyers against the Portuguese government. Between 1948 and 1949, he was chosen as the Secretary of the Socialist group of the National Congress, Goa. He then co-founded theGoan People's Party (GPP) and was its General Secretary from 1949 onwards.[1][4]
Vaz was an active Leftist and was also the Secretary of the Goa Action Committee. He was chosen as a member of the panel of minorities that had been appointed by the Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti. He was also associated with the Bombay Youth League and was a participant at the International Youth Rally, that was held outside India.[1]
Vaz was also the Art Director of several films, such asLal Batti. He also worked on nationalistic posters that were present at the meetings and conferences of freedom fighters.[1]
In 1954, Vaz was one of the leaders of the GPP that worked together to capture more than 60 villages inNagar Haveli. This was beforeits complete Liberation by the volunteers and commandos of theAzad Gomantak Dal.[5][1]
In December 1960,[6] Vaz was part of a delegation that met with thenHome Minister of IndiaPandit Pant inNew Delhi, urging the Indian government to take action for the freedom of Goa. Others in the delegation were Eclito D’Souza,Irene Heredia,Vishwanath Lawande,Lambert Mascarenhas,Aruna Asaf Ali andBertha Braganza.[7]
Also in December 1960, the third National Conference for Afro-Asian solidarity took place in Bombay, calling for the immediate freedom of Goa, Daman and Diu and forming a National Campaign Committee for this purpose. In April 1961, Vaz and Cajetan Lobo, both secretaries of the National Campaign Committee, took part in a three-day Conference of Nationalist Organisations of the Portuguese Colonies atCasablanca,Morocco. The participants of the conference deliberated on the political problems of the Portuguese colonies in Africa and India.[1][8]Pundalik Gaitonde also attended the conference with them.[9]
Vaz was a prominent Communist trade union leader, having led multiple workers' protests and strikes in both Goa and Bombay. He was a member of the National Council of theCommunist Party of India. He was also the General Secretary ofAll India Trade Union Congress in Goa and was a member of its national Executive Committee.[1]
Vaz and other Goan Communists, likeGerald Pereira andBerta de Menezes Bragança, began working with the Goan peasants soon after theLiberation of Goa, forming theShetkari Paksh (Farmers' Party). In the1963 Goa, Daman and Diu Legislative Assembly election, they did not contest with their Communist symbols but instead contested as a political front, theFrente Popular. This was done to not attract the attention of the Goan Catholic Church, who considered the Communists as a threat. Vaz contested from theTivim Assembly constituency but neither him nor the seven others were able to win any seats.[10]
Vaz also contested in the1967 Goa, Daman and Diu Legislative Assembly election but did not win.[11]
Vaz contested elections from theSouth Goa Lok Sabha constituency as a candidate of the CPI in 1984 but did not win.[12]
Vaz died in 1999.[13]
On 18 June 1982, Vaz was honoured by theGovernment of Goa, Daman and Diu.[1]