A small section of the Goan elite sought political and civil rights and founded the Partido Indiano (Indian Party) in 1865 in the village of Orlim. It enjoyed mass support particularly of the local Catholics. The rival party was the pro-establishment Partido Ultramarino. The violence that ensued in Margao in 1890 during the municipal elections is known as the 21 September Revolt. It lasted for a mere 20 minutes though the military firing killed 12 persons on the spot besides injuring many more. Protest meetings were held not just in Goa but also in Bombay, Poona, Karachi and Zanzibar. Even the Canadian and American press condemned the brutality and carried news on the "Goa Revolution". This article brings out the history of that revolt in the context of the working of colonialism in Goa.
