Sandesh Prabhudesai
4 September 1998
President of India K R Narayanan has been urged not to visit Vasco da Gama memorial during his four-day visit to Portugal, which is presently celebrating centenary celebration of his discovery of India 100 years ago.
The Deshpremi Nagrik Samiti, which is spearheading the agitation in Goa - the former Portuguese colony - has expressed fear that the President may be persuaded by the Portuguese authorities to visit Vasco da Gama's memorial and pay tributes to "their hero".
Since Narayanan is leaving for Portugal on 6 September, the Samiti president Adv Vishwanath Lawande, who is also the working president of the All India Freedom Fighters' Samiti, has faxed a letter to the president, requesting him not to fall prey to these moves by the Portuguese authorities.
The Goan Samiti had also taken initiative in stalling similar kind of centenary celebrations in India. Presently, the Samiti has waged a state-wide agitation demanding to change the name of Goa's port town - Vasco da Gama.
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