MARGAO
The Congress on Tuesday slammed Chief Minister Pramod Sawant for his statement on erasing traces of Portuguese culture in the State, with party senior leader and MP Francisco Sardinha saying the people of Goa have already erased what was all bad in the last 61 years after Liberation, reminding that what is prevailing now is no more Portuguese culture, but Goan culture.
Congress South Goa district Committee president Savio D’Silva said instead of erasing the Portuguese culture, the Chief Minister should start wiping the defectors from the party who had joined the ruling party for a price.
Addressing the media, South Goa MP Sardinha said the Portuguese might have done so many good things during their 450-year rule in Goa as well as bad things. “The bad things must have been erased by the people in the last 61 years of Liberation. What is good is being kept to date. We no longer say what is existing is Portuguese culture, but Goan culture,” he said.
Sardinha said different people must have different cultures, warning that one should not try to impose culture on others, but allow all people to follow their own culture. “If the Chief Minister does not like to follow certain culture, he should not follow,” he said.
“The Chief Minister had last year said the government would build the damaged temples across the State. That time, I had said there’s no need for the government to rebuild the places of worship as the devotees are capable to do so,” he added.
Underscoring the need to provide good governance for the people of Goa, Sardinha said the Chief Minister should attempt to provide the least corruption if he cannot provide zero corruption administration.
GPCC Secretary Nitin Chopdekar said that the Portuguese must have left behind good things as well, adding that Sawant should focus on providing good governance.
