Panaji, Jul 15 (IANS): Goa Governor P.S. Sreedharan Pillai on Thursday said that he wants to establish a heart-to-heart relationship with the people of Goa, soon after he was sworn-in to office at a former ceremony at Raj Bhavan.

In a brief interaction with mediapersons, Pillai, who has been transferred to Goa from Mizoram however refused to comment on various civil society agitations going on in the state.

"Protocol of course is there, but above protocol I want to have a heart-to-heart relationship with everybody including the press," Pillai told reporters.

He also said that India could take some lessons from Goa, as far as the spirit of unity in the state is concerned.

"The entire India, of course, can study many things from the history, as well as the unity of the people (of Goa). As far as legal justice is concerned, it is an exceptionally important state," Pillai said.

"Further, we could see the unity among the people. There are no communal riots as such and the people are co-operative with each other and have a very good relationship. Culturally also, Goa is at the forefront of South India," Pillai said.

When asked if he would be vocal about the various social agitations going on in the state, like his predecessor Satya Pal Malik, Pillai said: "For the time-being silence is golden".

Goa had been without a full fledged Governor for nearly a year now, after the sudden transfer of Malik in August 2020, following his criticism of the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant-led government's handling of the Covid crisis. Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari had been holding charge of the state since the departure of Malik.