Chief Minister Pramod Sawant stirred emotion with an outlandish statement that his government is trying to wipe out traces of Portugueses after 60 years of Goa's Liberation and making efforts to start afresh. The announcement comes from the Betul fort on the sidelines of the 350th Coronation Day commemoration of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Sawant stated that his government's focus was to rebuild Goan culture while reiterating that the process to rebuild temples is on.
The statement is baffling because, despite the historical past, Goa has enjoyed cordial relations with Portugal to the extent that Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte recently said he would sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the country to promote tourism and Information Technology in Goa. Meetings have been held with Portugal's Minister of Economy and Maritime Affairs, Antonio Costa Silva, to explore tourism opportunities in Goa. In February 2020, Sawant signed an MoU with Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa for technical support in water supply and wastewater management, education, shipbuilding and engineering.
Goa undoubtedly carries a Portuguese vibe. UNESCO explains that the presence of the Portuguese led to the introduction of Western architectural elements in the tiny State, which is reflected in religious, civil and residential structures.
The Portuguese have left an indelible and inimitable footprint on Goa with significant influences on the identity of the State, and there is nothing to be ashamed of. One cannot comprehend Goa without the colonial footprint that resonates in every facet ” from architecture to culture and tourism. In fact, the proposed heritage policy is mainly banking on a Portuguese vibe, with the tourism minister saying last month that the many beautiful Indo-Portuguese houses need to be protected, repaired and projected as tourist accommodations.
Taking the argument a little further, how does one wipe off the Portuguese footprint in the State? Destroy the 50-odd Portuguese era bridges and give the architectural design of old government structures of those times and the palatial chief minister's official residence at Altinho a new Goan makeover? Or do we change the names of towns like Vasco, Margao and Panaji into something else? And what about the Portuguese legacy left behind on cuisine and the numerous other elements, including clothing?
Incidentally, The Consulate General of Portugal in Goa is celebrating the Day of Portugal and the Portuguese Communities with a programme at the ESG, Campal-Panaji, on June 11. The celebration is a testimony of cordial relations between Portugal and Goa, and apart from the occasional political barbs, there is nothing to suggest that the State is suffering from an identity crisis because of its colonial linkages.
The CM may be trying to drive a political narrative that sounds more like an electoral outreach with Lok Sabha elections around, but such statements could do more harm than good to the social fabric that is knit in colonial threads. The political class must be mindful that sweeping comments such as these, even if impractical, can stir emotions and create a wedge between communities. Tampering with Goa's identity at this stage can have dangerous consequences, and hence it would be sensible to steer away from such absurd experiments and let Goa be what it is now.
