PANAJI
Former State RSS chief Subhash Velingkar on Saturday repeated his charge questioning the credentials of St Francis Xavier as the patron saint of Goa, while also accusing the Catholic MLAs in the BJP of trying to polarise Christian votes.
A few days back, Velingkar in his new avatar as the convenor of the Hindu Raksha Maha Aghadi, had said that it was not St Xavier who invited the Inquisition to Goa, but sage Parshuram was the fitting candidate for the title 'patron saint of Goa'.
"I have read reactions from political leaders, including BJP's Catholic MLAs. They have not mentioned the Goa Inquisition. If St Francis Xavier is not responsible for it, then who is?
The vociferous criticism of my statement is made by Catholic leaders to polarise Christian votes. We do not care for that," Velingkar said.
The controversy has erupted just a month after the election results were declared in the State. In the month leading to Velingkar's sensational claim, a harsh tempo appeared to be building up in Goa over the issue of restoration of temples destroyed by the Portuguese during the colonial rule, as well as the recent chaos witnessed between two religious groups over a procession in Baina.
Velingkar has now said that his group would be releasing the 'Goa Files' on May 3, on the occasion of Parshuram Jayanti. A mythical sage, Parshuram has been credited with 'creating' the land which is now present-day Goa, by shooting an arrow into the seas, which pushed the water back and created Goa.
For that reason, Velingkar claims, Parshuram was a better candidate as a state's patron.
Velingkar has been slammed by the Opposition as well as several representatives of civil society groups as well as religious figures.
"The first issue is that St Francis Xavier is not the protector of Goa, Bhagwan Parshuram is the protector of Goa. St Xavier through the Goa inquisition committed atrocities on Goans. He is responsible for it. People suffered atrocities and were suppressed. We want to bring this before the people of Goa," he also said.
