Hardline Hindutva preacher Gautam Khattar’s strikingly derogatory remarks about St Francis Xavier during the ‘Bhagwan Parshuram Janmotsav’ event held in Vasco on Saturday have struck a nerve across Goa. It isn’t just about one speech or one individual, but points to a deeper unease around religious sensitivities, the steady rise of polarising rhetoric, and the fragile balance of communal harmony, which is repeatedly being tested in Goa.
Khattar, who heads the Sanatan Mahasangh, is no stranger to controversy. He holds notoriety over public addresses that have often leaned on sharp, provocative language, particularly targeting minority communities, mocking Christians and Muslims on numerous occasions in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and other States. Against this background, Khattar’s speech should not come as a surprise to organisers and his ‘well-wishers.’
Khattar described St Francis Xavier in deeply offensive terms, caring less for the religious sensitivities and the many communities that the saint brought together. The growing tensions across Goa on Sunday and Monday, with people from various sections, communities, and divides coming together to seek action, is a testament to a State that is not ready to be divided along communal lines. The anger wasn’t only about hurt sentiments but also about a pattern of speeches that erode coexistence.
If there was mutual respect for minorities and their religious sensitivities, Khattar should have been educated about Goa, its people, cultural and religious bonding and the unique communal harmony the State enjoys. His reference of a prior conversation indicates that Khattar was told about St Francis Xavier being revered as “Goencho Saib”. In this context, the organisers of the Parshuram jayanti celebration cannot be completely absolved of responsibility.
What makes the episode more troubling is the larger context it sits in. Khattar’s rhetoric mirrors a broader strain of a narrative that seeks to draw sharp lines between majority and minority communities, often by invoking fear, suspicion, or outright hostility. Why are these hardline Hindutva preachers targeting St Francis Xavier? Why are attempts being made to divide people on communal lines? What is the agenda behind provocative speeches that have no technical or historical basis? Who gains here? And why now, when St. Francis was canonised centuries back in 1622?
We expected our very own Goan leaders who were present at the venue to raise these questions. They did not. They not only lapped up what was dished out, but chose to react a good two days later. The immediate silence at the event was deafening, and a lack of any immediate pushback has raised uncomfortable questions. Senior minister Mauvin Godinho was seated right behind Khattar on the dais, but chose to acknowledge the banter rather than walk out of the event. It was a choice he had to make, and he obviously chose not to hurt his political bosses. Condemning the incident on Monday sounded more like a cover-up.
The reaction across the State has been telling. Church authorities, political parties and leaders, activists, community groups, and ordinary citizens have spoken out, signalling that there are still strong guardrails against divisive speech. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s statement that spiritual speakers visiting Goa must not disrupt communal harmony and organisers should act responsibly while hosting public programmes is welcome, but the story cannot end there. The government must ensure that Khattar is brought back to the State, arrested under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and asked to publicly apologise.
Ultimately, this isn’t just about one controversial speech; it’s more about the type of public discourse that Goans are ready to accept. In peaceful Goa, such inflammatory discourse against any religion, God or saint cannot be accepted, because that comes as a direct attack on the core of our cultural and religious coexistence. Preserving that spirit is the need of the hour.
