Panaji, Sep 17 (TNN): Chief minister Manohar Parrikar on Tuesday said that the Indian army should have "invaded" Goa in 1947 and not waited till 1961.

"Lot is being said about the Indian army 'invading' Goa. I feel they should have invaded us in 1947. If that did happen, we would have been free, like all other states in India," said Parrikar, at an award function held at Kala Academy on Tuesday, referring to discussions on the internet regarding the role of the Indian Army in the 1961 liberation of Goa.

Speaking at the felicitation ceremony in honour of veteran journalist and freedom fighter Lambert Mascarenahas, who was awarded Goa's highest civilian award - the Gomant Vibushan Award - on the eve of his 100th birthday, Parrikar praised the contribution of Mascarenhas towards the Liberation of Goa.

Ameeta Mascarenhas, daughter of the freedom fighter, told TOI on the sidelines of the function that Mascarenhas told her that he accepts the award, but felt that he did not deserve it so much as there were others who played a greater role than him in the freedom struggle.

The speaker of Goa's legislative assembly, Rajendra Arlekar, and minister for culture Dayanand Mandrekar, among the speakers at the event, spoke strongly about nationalism. Calling Mascarenhas a "Goan nationalist", they stated that it wasn't entirely Goa's freedom that he fought for, but his fight was also aimed at making Goa a part of India. Leader of the opposition Pratapsingh Rane, chief secretary B Vijayan praised the role played by Mascarenhas.