PANAJI
Amid a row triggered by a right-wing activist’s remarks against Goa’s patron saint, St Francis Xavier, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday asserted that the government will not allow any outsider to disturb the State’s communal harmony.
Speaking to media persons, Sawant confirmed that an FIR has been registered against spiritual thinker Gautam Khattar in connection with the derogatory remarks. “An inquiry will be conducted and strict action will be taken,” he said.
The Chief Minister cautioned organisers of public events to ensure that invited speakers refrain from making statements that could disrupt communal harmony. “Speakers coming from outside Goa must be cautioned against making any remarks that could disturb the State’s communal harmony,” he said.
Emphasising the need for preventive measures, Sawant said organisers have a responsibility to properly brief and guide speakers, particularly those from outside the State.
Khattar, a YouTuber from Uttarakhand, has been booked for hurting religious sentiments following multiple complaints filed at various police stations. The complaints stem from remarks he allegedly made about St Francis Xavier during the Sanatan Dharma Raksha Samiti’s Parshuram Jayanti celebrations held in Vasco on Sunday night.
Responding to queries about the remarks being made in the presence of Minister Mauvin Godinho, the Chief Minister said the minister should ideally have intervened. However, he added that such situations can arise suddenly, and immediate reactions may not always be possible.
