There is lack of clarity over the visit of Pope Francis to Goa and India as the Central Government has reportedly not shown any interest, so far, for an official invite to the Vatican. This despite the fact that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant through an official communication had reportedly requested the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to invite Pope Francis to India stating that Goa would like to host the Pope for the upcoming exposition of St Francis Xavier, scheduled from November this year. Leader of Opposition in Goa Yuri Alemao has called upon the government to act swiftly to explore the possibility of the Pope visiting the state. He has called upon the government to immediately convene a high-powered committee meeting in order to discuss the issue. It is pertinent to note that the itinerary of the Holy Father is decided well in advance. However since Pope Francis is on an on-going Southeast Asia visit as released by the Vatican, there is a remote possibility that a visit to India by the Holy Father could be included in the itinerary. This possibility needs to be explored by the Indian government.
