Gerald Pereira

Gerald Antonio Eustaqio de Monte Pereira was born on 20 September 1929 in Vasco da Gama, Goa{{Cite journal |date=2015 |title=Prominent Goans |journal=Rajhauns Yearbook 2015 |pages=448–449}} to the Catholic family of Xavier Pereira, who worked for a technical firm in Bombay.{{Cite book |last=McDaniel |first=Alonzo Simpson |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mq1mAAAAMAAJ |title=The Absorption of Hydrocarbon Gases by Non-aqueous Liquids |date=1990 |publisher=University of Wisconsin--Madison |page=40}} While studying at the St Joseph's Institute in Vasco, he began participating in the freedom struggle after being influenced by his school teacher, Dattatraya Deshpande, who was a freedom fighter. Deshpande was arrested after he hoisted the Indian flag and distributed nationalist pamphlets in Vasco. Pereira escaped to Bombay, leaving his education incomplete. He then completed his Senior Cambridge schooling in Bombay.{{Cite magazine |magazine=Free Goa |title=Gerald Pereira - Out For A Clean & Decent Bombay |date=1957-04-25 |url=https://archive.org/details/gerald-pereira-out-for-a-clean-bombay |access-date=2024-09-11}}

While in Bombay, Pereira completed his Master of Arts at St. Xavier's College, and an LLB from Siddharth College of Law. He soon took an interest in Marxist philosophy. In the early 1950s, he joined the Goan Peoples Party (GPP), which was Communist.{{Cite book |last=Ali |first=B. Sheikh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tCZuAAAAMAAJ |title=Goa Wins Freedom: Reflections and Reminiscences |date=1986 |publisher=Goa University |isbn=978-81-85571-00-3 |pages=126}} On 13 December 1952, while he was still a student, he participated actively in a demonstration that displayed black flags to the then Portuguese Governor-General, who was visiting the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel.{{Cite book |last=Shirodkar |first=Pandurang Purushottam |author-link=Pandurang Purushottam Shirodkar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ISScyAEACAAJ |title=Who's Who of Freedom Fighters, Goa, Daman, and Diu |date=1986 |publisher=Goa Gazetteer Department, Government of the Union Territory of Goa, Daman, and Diu |volume=1 |pages=278–279}}

Pereira was a member of the GPP's central committee and the editor of its publication, Goan Age. In its inaugural edition, published on 26 January 1954, Pereira wrote an article, Goa: Another Korea, which analyzed how Americans had strengthened their military presence near Goa.{{Cite news |work=The Indian Express |title='Goan Age', New Magazine |date=1954-02-16 |url=https://archive.org/details/goan-age-new-magazine |access-date=2024-09-11}} As part of the GPP, he also addressed many public meetings on issues like the planning of satyagrahas,{{Cite news |work=Free Press Journal |title=More Satyagrahis For Goa Struggle |date=1954-09-07 |url=https://archive.org/details/more-satyagrahis-for-goa-strugge |access-date=2024-09-11}} encouragement of women to join the freedom struggle,{{Cite news |work=Times of India |title=Women & Goa Struggle |date=1954-11-22 |url=https://archive.org/details/women-goa-struggle |access-date=2024-09-11}} and the removal of the economic blockade of Goa.{{Cite news |work=Bombay Chronicle |title=Goans Plead For Removal Of Blockade |date=1957-11-11 |url=https://archive.org/details/goans-plead-for-removal-of-blockade_202409 |access-date=2024-09-11}}

Pereira also published flyers and booklets related to the Goan freedom struggle, including Viva 18th June Movement and Goan Question Reconsidered. He also contributed to newspapers like the National Herald, Amrita Bazar Patrika and The Free Press Journal. He also edited the Konkani journal Novem Jivit (New Life).

In 1955, during the mass satyagraha at Patradevi, Pereira was an organiser of the satyagrahis, while Luisa Carvalho, whom he later married, was one of the leaders of the Medical Brigade of the GVSS.

In May 1957, he contested the municipal elections for the Bombay Municipal Corporation from Mazgaon constituency and lost.{{Cite news |work=Goan Tribune |title=Goan Mayor Defeated |date=1957-05-19 |url=https://archive.org/details/goan-mayor-defeated |access-date=2024-09-11}} In June that year, he was part of a delegation of 11 Goans chosen for consultation by then Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru. Others included Armando Menezes and his brother Nicolau Menezes, along with Luis Gracias, J. N. Heredia, Evágrio Jorge, Vishwanath Lawande, Pundalik Gaitonde, Rama Hegde, Peter Alvares and Purushottam Kakodkar.{{Cite news |work=Times of India |location=Delhi |title=Goan Nationals Allowed To Send Money Home |date=1957-06-11 |url=https://archive.org/details/goan-nationals-allowed-to-send-money-home |access-date=2024-09-11}}{{Cite book |last=Faleiro |first=Valmiki |author-link=Valmiki Faleiro |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GYLyEAAAQBAJ |title=Goa, 1961: The Complete Story of Nationalism and Integration |date=2023-07-24 |publisher=Penguin Random House India Private Limited |isbn=978-93-5708-175-7 |pages=81, 343, 369 |access-date=21 August 2024}}

Pereira was active in Bombay's trade union movement, and worked with T. B. Cunha, B. T. Ranadive, S. A. Dange and G. Adhikari. He was also the Secretary of the T. B. Cunha Memorial Committee.

After the Annexation of Goa on 19 December 1961, Pereira led a strike in the port harbour on 12 January 1962 and founded the first trade union in Goa in Mormugao Port, the Marmagao Port, Dock and Transport Workers' Union, now known as the Mormugao Waterfront Workers' Union, on 20 January 1962.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a5A7AAAAMAAJ |title=New Perspectives: Being the Proceedings of 27th Session |date=1966 |publisher=All-India Trade Union Congress |page=8}} More than 4,000 workers of the Port went on strike under Pereira's leadership.{{Cite book |publisher=World Federation of Trade Unions |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P0hZAAAAYAAJ |title=International Bulletin of the Trade Union and Working Class Press |date=1963 |page=3}} The strike attracted the attention of the Central Government.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MscXgc5LYl8C |title=Thought |date=1963 |publisher=Siddhartha Publications |page=4}} Pereira then became known as a popular Communist trade union leader.{{Cite book |last=Sá |first=Mario Cabral e |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fmefAAAAMAAJ |title=Wind of Fire: The Music and Musicians of Goa |date=1997 |publisher=Promilla & Company |isbn=978-81-85002-19-4 |page=41}}

In 1964–1965, Pereira led another strike of the Port workers for the formation of the Mormugao Dock Labour Board. During this strike, two workers were killed. Pereira was then arrested and imprisoned in the Bicholim sub-jail.

In 1973–1974, Pereira led another historic strike of the Coca-Cola workers in Goa.{{cite report |publisher=Government of Goa, Daman and Diu |url=https://goaprintingpress.gov.in/downloads/7475/7475-41-SII-OG.pdf |title=Official Gazette |number=41 |series=II |chapter=Labour and Information Department Order No. CLE/I/ID(5)/74/IT-7/74}} This led to the formation of the Action Committee of Trade Unions and Mass Organisations in Goa, which organised the first All Goa Bandh on 18 February 1974. This ultimately led to the defeat of the UGP candidate Wilfred de Souza by the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) candidate, Menino Jesus Luta Ferrão, in the 1974 by-election of the Benaulim Assembly constituency, followed by the split of the UGP to the United Goans Democratic Party.

While Pereira was a student of politics and economics, he was convinced to pursue his masters in history. Thus, as part of his masters thesis, he studied the history of Goa. He researched at the library at The Asiatic Society of Mumbai and was guided by many, including Damodar Dharmananda Kosambi. He completed his thesis in 1963 and about 10 years later, he self-published it as a book, titled, An Outline of Pre-Portuguese History of Goa. The book covers the history of Goa, including the early settlers, Bhoja kings, the Silaharas, the Kadamba dynasty, Vijayanagara Empire, Adil Shahi rule, ending with the Portuguese conquest of Goa.{{Cite web |date=2023-12-12 |title=History of Pre-Portuguese Goa through a collector's item |url=https://www.heraldgoa.in/Cafe/History-of-PrePortuguese-Goa-through-a-collector%E2%80%99s-item/215054 |access-date=2024-09-11 |website=Herald Goa}} Sandesh Prabhudesai describes Pereira as "an expert in history and political science", going on to quote Pereira about the myth of Parshurama bringing the Gaud Saraswat Brahmins to Goa.{{Cite book |last=Prabhudesai |first=Sandesh |author-link=Sandesh Prabhudesai |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SjoF0AEACAAJ |title=Ajeeb Goa's Gajab Politics |date=April 2023 |publisher=Qurate Books Private Limited |isbn=978-93-94600-69-0 |pages=88, 253}}

Pereira was one of the founders of the Goa branch of the Communist Party of India (CPI), and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)), after the CPI split in Goa in 1967–1968.{{Cite web |date=November 12, 2006 |title=Comrade Dr Luisa Pereira |url=https://archives.peoplesdemocracy.in/2006/1112/11122006_com%20luisa.html |access-date=2024-09-13 |website=People's Democracy}} He was also the General Secretary of the Goa branch of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and before that, of the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC).{{Cite book |last=Basu |first=Jyoti |author-link=Jyoti Basu |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q-Q9AQAAIAAJ |title=Documents of the Communist Movement in India: 1970 |date=1998 |publisher=National Book Agency |isbn=978-81-7626-018-3 |page=189}} Pereira was a member of the CITU Working Committee.

On 27 November 1962, Pereira was arrested at Londa for being a part of the Communist Party of India, and for allegedly being "Pro-China", in the background of the Sino-Indian War.

Pereira and other Goan Communists, like George Vaz and Berta de Menezes Bragança, began working with the Goan peasants soon after the Annexation of Goa, forming the Shetkari Paksh (Farmers' Party). In the 1963 Goa, Daman and Diu Legislative Assembly election, they did not contest with their Communist symbols but instead contested as a political front, the Frente Popular. This was done to not attract the attention of the Goan Catholic Church, who considered the Communists as a threat. Pereira contested elections from the Mormugao Assembly constituency.{{Cite book |last=Esteves |first=Sarto |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=imVuAAAAMAAJ |title=Politics and Political Leadership in Goa |date=1986 |publisher=Sterling Publishers |isbn=978-81-207-0602-6 |page=76}}{{Cite book |last1=Halappa |first1=G. S. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EuwDAAAAMAAJ |title=The First General Elections in Goa |last2=Rao |first2=Kurukundi Raghavendra |last3=Rajasekhariah |first3=A. M. |date=1964 |publisher=Karnatak University |page=49}} Pereira was defeated by Urminda Mascarenhas, who became the first female MLA to be elected in Goa, Daman and Diu. While some believe that a Portuguese newspaper's work had convinced the public, the prevailing theory is that the Goan Catholic Church had opposed Pereira, who was a Communist and thus did not believe in religion.{{Cite web |last=Prabhudesai |first=Sandesh |author-link=Sandesh Prabhudesai |date=16 Mar 2010 |title=Time to discourage 'corrupt' women |url=https://archive.goanews.com/blogs_disp.php?bpid=39 |work=goanews.com}} The day of polling was 9 December 1963, a Monday, and the Sunday Mass on the previous day influenced the voters.

Pereira also contested in the 1967 Goa, Daman and Diu Legislative Assembly election but did not win.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KXY5AAAAIAAJ |title=Political Science Review |date=1972 |publisher=Department of Political Science, University of Rajasthan. |page=143}}

In 1966, Pereira was chosen to visit the Soviet Union as part of the AITUC delegation of the Indo-Soviet Cultural Society (ISCUS). He was also a part of organisations like the Goan Arts and Culture League, Goa Mundkar and Shetkari Sabha, and the Indo-Cuban Solidarity Centre (CESIC).

Pereira married Luisa Carvalho, a medical practitioner and also a freedom fighter, on 24 December 1960 under the Special Marriage Act, 1954. She was also an active member of the CPI(M) and CITU in Goa. Together, they had 3 children, none of whom were initiated into any religion. Pereira lived in Vasco and Bombay, moving to Bombay after he was outlawed in his school days and came back to Vasco only after the Liberation of Goa.

Pereira had a heart attack on 2 June 1975 and was admitted to KEM Hospital, Bombay. After his discharge in August 1975, he began working on an underground campaign against the Indian Emergency while recuperating in Bombay. He moved back to Goa in February 1976 and immediately continued his trade union work. He died on 4 March 1976, after suffering another heart attack.

• Viva 18th June Movement{{Cite book |last=Gerald Pereira |url=https://archive.org/details/viva-18th-june-movement |title=Viva 18th June Movement |date=1971-06-18}}
• Goan Question Reconsidered
• Editor, Selected Writings of Dr. T. B. Cunha
• An Outline of Pre-Portuguese History of Goa (1973){{Cite book |last=Pereira |first=Gerald A. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=35QdAAAAMAAJ |title=An Outline of Pre-Portuguese History of Goa |date=1973 |publisher=G. Pereira |language=en}}

• T. B. Cunha
• George Vaz
• Berta de Menezes Bragança
• Beatris de Menezes Bragança

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• {{Cite book |last=Pereira |first=Gerald |url=https://archive.org/details/viva-18th-june-movement |title=Viva 18th June Movement |date=1971-06-18}}

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Category:1929 births

Category:1976 deaths

Category:Indian trade union leaders

Category:20th-century Indian historians

Category:20th-century Indian lawyers

Category:People from Vasco da Gama, Goa

Category:Indian communists

Category:St. Xavier's College, Mumbai alumni

Category:Goa liberation activists

Category:People from Portuguese India

Category:Communist Party of India politicians from Goa