Chief Minister of Goa Pramod Sawant budgeted some crores of rupees for reconstruction of Hindu temples destroyed by the Portuguese colonial government. I have nothing against this decision, so long as structures of other religions are not adversely affected. Portuguese destroyed Hindu temples, but by their action or omission they also destroyed Christian churches and institutions. In 1759, the Portuguese government extinguished the Society of Jesus, as a result of which St Paul’s College with attached Church deteriorated and collapsed. In 1835, Portugal abolished all the religious institutes. The Dominicans had their St Thomas University, the Franciscans their St Bonaventure College, the Augustinians their College Pro Populo and St William Seminary. The Carmelites had their Friary in Old Goa. All had their churches. After the abolition of the religious institutes, all of them collapsed.
There were two local religious institutes: One, the Oratorians in Old Goa, whose prominent member was St Joseph Vaz. Second, Carmelite Tertiaries in Chimbel. Both the institutes were abolished and their churches ruined. When it suited the Portuguese, they used the Church, but they dumped it when it had no use for them. My suggestion to the chief minister is also allot funds towards reconstruction of Christian churches and institutions. I have in view two: the Carmelite Friary in Old Goa and its sister concern in Chimbel. If the government does it, it will be a laudable exercise of distributive justice. Otherwise it would be Hindutva in action.
