OLD GOA
Stating that they are welcoming the suggestion of a Hindu organisation that the Inquisition history should be introduced in school curriculum, the Goycho Saib Foundation has demanded that the history should be in the right perspective and not in distorted manner.
Speaking to reporters at a media conference in Panaji, on Thursday, Foundation member Michael Gracias said that they support the suggestion of the Hindu organisation but stated that the narration of the Inquisition should be taken from the primary sources and not from secondary sources.
“The primary sources are the books of Charles Dyllon, Francois Pyrard, the documentation of case files of the Goa Inquisition kept in the Bibloteca National de Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Arquivo National da Torre do Tombo in Lisbon, Portugal,” Gracias informed.
Gracias further claimed that there is an attempt being made to distort history by referring to secondary sources, which states that Hindus were killed in the Inquisition, which is wrong.
“In the primary sources, there is no mention of Hindus being tried under Inquisition, which was established for the Christians who led a scandalous life and were a bad example to others as their life was not in accordance to the teachings of the Bible,” Gracias said.
He further said that Inquisition was not established for the purpose of conversion.
Then, Gracias said there is an attempt being made to malign the image of Goycho Saib using fictitious and half truths about Inquisition, on social media.
Another member, Mathew Almeida, said there are many social media platforms which are being used to present distorted facts about inquisition, which is likely to cause communal disharmony in the State.
“So, we have complained to the Crime Branch to take action against those using the social media platforms to spread hatred against the Christians,” Almeida informed.
He further claimed that there could be an attempt made before the Exposition of St Francis Xavier to destroy the communal harmony of the State.
“We want to educate the public about the inquisition, with the help of primary sources, so that if it is introduced in school curriculum then it takes into account the writings of the people of that time,” Almeida stated.
Later, the Foundation members said that they will make a presentation to the CM Pramod Sawant, who is also the Education Minister to appoint an expert committee on Inquisition before it is introduced in schools.
Others who were present included Joseph Marques and Hugo Gonsalves.
