The North Goa Collector and District Magistrate Sneha Gitte’s recent order on the externment of Pastor Dominic and his wife Joana D’Souza mentions that the couple’s presence in North Goa could threaten safety and can lead to inter-community disputes. The Collector feels that their actions have hurt religious sentiments, and has taken cognizance of induced conversions and violation of the Drugs and Magic Remedies Objectionable Advertisement Act. If we may recall, the couple faced similar charges in 2022 which were subsequently struck down by the court.
The pastor has been in the eye of a storm for several years and has been charged with forcible conversions. The case in 2022 revolves around one person complaining along the lines of the current case. The crux of the matter is that the charges made against the pastor before the Collector, which have been upheld, have not stood the scrutiny of the court. The current externment order goes in the same direction, leading one to believe that there is a conscious attempt to intimidate and harass the preachers to the point of helplessness.
The pastor belongs to a Christian denomination based in Siolim and over the years has had a growing following with vast sections of people, including those from the majority community and other religions seeking spiritual healing. Faced with constant pressure, the pastor has now restricted entry to only registered members and has also ensured that the entire premises are under CCTV surveillance.
Ironically, there has been nothing on record to prove that the pastor is indulging in black magic, forceful or induced conversion, and neither has the police been able to prove that the pastor couple are threatening the safety of people.
It is a sad irony that when we talk about India as one of the largest democracies where religions are respected and communal harmony is the unifying force, one is pained to understand that in a tiny State like Goa, there is one pastor that is causing discomfort to a few who are wearing religion on the sleeve of their political attire. It is a disgrace that there is one man in a population of over 15 lakh who is posing a threat to religious disharmony. This is disgusting when we see daggers coming out threatening to divide and even slay people over historic figures and statues.
We live in a Goa that loves peace, where everyone speaks religion as a leveller, but we also live in a State where inter-religious faith beyond a point is not tolerated. Where religious insecurities creep in. In a liberalised and developed State like Goa, it would be a shame to speak of “forced or induced conversions”, especially when so much is being spoken about communal harmony. And we wonder where this fear of “disharmony” comes from.
Are we to understand that society has failed to address the issues of common citizens and that they are looking beyond the realm of their religious boundaries? There is nothing wrong there, because the freedom of religion permits them their choice of belief, unless somebody else has a problem.
Those who are gunning for the preacher’s head must stop the witch-hunt launched in the name of forced conversions and black magic and embrace the tenet of every religion that faith can move mountains. It’s left to each one to decipher where the faith is lost or gained.
