Bangalore: Goa celebrating its 50^th anniversary of liberation on December 19. The liberation of Goa was its release from the Portuguese dominance.

Like all anniversaries, Goa is also preparing to celebrate its Golden Jubilee at Panjim with Sonia Gandhi visiting the capital and who will be addressing the public. Parties, music, art exhibitions and fireworks will be held along the beaches. Goa is named as a paradise for its beautiful beaches but the paradise is also know for a darker side of it. It has also become the home to drugs, land and mining mafias. 

Goa is still the leading holiday destination for most tourists and it is pretty famous for low cost foreign tourists. The night bars, loud music, rave parties and cheap liquor has branded Goa an ultimate youth destination and most youngsters would take off on weekends to the party destination.

Though Goa carries the brand image of the Anglo-Indian and Portuguese culture its majority population are Hindus. About 64 percent of the population consists of Hindus which is a surprising factor for many as Goa was the home of the English colony. There are many Hindu temples that one can visit as well. The natural landscapes of Goa is exploited to great extent by tourists and it has become more of a commercial place than what it was known as a rejuvenation destination. The other factor is the abundant deposits of iron ore in Goa. Goa as ecologically ruined due to mining. Hundreds of dumpers carrying mud though abundant lanes discharging red dust and toxic particulate matter into the atmosphere has made Goa lose its naturalism.

The 50th anniversary of Goa's liberation by India is not great news for many. In fact,the freedom fighters have chosen to mourn, rather than celebrate.The decision of the All Goa Freedom Fighters Association (AGFFA) to unanimously boycott the state government's official golden jubilee celebrations is the last nail they have hammered into the lackluster 50th anniversary celebrations. Freedom fighters community was angry by the corruption of GoaÂ’s government, said Nagesh Karmali, AGFFA President.

The inability of the Goa government to resolve controversial issues like evacuee property, mandatory regional language education for schoolchildren and illegal mining has only disillusioned the aging lot more.

Goa survives on strong will of its people to remain independent. ThatÂ’s the fundamental issue between liberation and independence. A liberated state cannot be an independent state unless it is based on some principles and ideas. In the 50^th year of Goa's independence, Goa has to realize to not fail to notice and use a good opportunity.