Panaji, Sep 28 (IANS): State PWD Minister Sudin Dhavalikar on Thursday said Goans and Portuguese were "brothers and sisters" and continue to be so.

His statement comes a year after he demanded an apology from Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa for "atrocities and destruction" committed during colonial rule in the state.

The Public Works Department (PWD) Minister also said that his only grievance with the Portuguese colonists was that they destroyed bridges and pipelines before their exit in 1961.

"I have never said that we will never accept something from Portugal or give them something. After all we are brothers and sisters right from the beginning and we are still the same today," Dhavalikar told reporters.

His statement comes after he announced that the PWD Ministry will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Portuguese Environment Ministry in water supply operation and other allied areas. The MoU will be signed later this week.

Dhavalikar, during Costa's visit to the state in 2017, had said: "He should apologise to Goans for all the hardships and atrocities Portugal committed in Goa while they were ruling."

"The amount of destruction they did while leaving Goa in 1961 by blowing up bridges and the mayhem they orchestrated is unforgivable," he had said.

Goa was ruled by the Portuguese for 451 years until the state was liberated in 1961 by the Indian armed forces.