NEW DELHI: Portugal Thursday agreed to return to India 280 kilograms of gold worth over Rupees 90 million which it took away from Goa just before its 1961 liberation.
A protocol on the return of was signed here Thursday ending a 15 years of protracted negotiations.
The securities and gold ornaments removed by the Portuguese just before the erstwhile Portuguese territories of Goa Daman and Diu became independent in December 1961.
These articles were kept by the citizens of these territories in the Banco Nacional Ultramarine (BNU) a Portuguese Bank then operating in Goa and Daman.
The Bank’s branches had advanced loan to the local citizens against the security of gold ornaments pledged to the bank. The total weight of the gold is estimated at 280582 grams.
Chairman of State Bank of India M N Goiporia and chairman of the Portuguese bank Dr Joao Casta Pinto signed the protocol on behalf of their respective countries resolving the issue which has been hanging fire.
Indian finance minister Yashant Sinha and the Portuguese minister of state for foreign affairs Dr Jose Manuel Durao Barroso were present on the occasion.
PANAJE: In an unprecedented ruling Goa legislative assembly speaker Surendra Sirsat walked out of the house after adjourning it till February 18 amidst noisy scenes Wednesday.
Earlier governor Khurshid Alam Khan read out his three page address.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 22, 1991
