By Marcellus D’Souza

Apr 16: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Good Friday said, “Individuals from marginalised and economically backward sections are being targeted for spiritual conversion in Goa”. My authorities wouldn’t permit such conversions to happen within Goa,” he asserted.

“I am not telling lies however, in varied components of Goa right this moment, persons are stepping up conversions. And varied persons are attempting to benefit from attempting circumstances… somebody is poor, somebody is in a minority, somebody is backward, does not have meals, does not have a job…” Sawant mentioned a specific case at Kudnem village in Bicholim in North Goa.

“I am saying such conversions should not happen….the federal government won’t ever permit conversions to happen, however I imagine the individuals must awaken, the temples in every village must awaken, small temple communities must awaken,” Pramod Sawant asserted.

The chief minister added, “Individuals from Goa needed to flee with their Hindu deities through the spiritual persecution unleashed by the Portuguese regime”. “Sixty years again, individuals believed that if God is saved, then the faith is saved and if faith is saved, then the nation is saved. With this in though, individuals used to flee rogther with their gods right here in Goa”.

“However again then, many households, households to those that had been displaced started attempting to find their kul devasthans or household deities and restarted the devotion – the gods and traditions that were destroyed through the Portuguese rule, these households have tried to revive it”. Pramod Sawant explained.

The Chief Minister asked the people to be “alert to religious conversion forces”. While saying that Goans lived in harmony he said, “But of late, some religious conversion forces have entered the State and we Goans need to be alert.” He made these remarks while inaugurating a Church Hall in Ribandar, Old Goa close to the Basilica of Bom Jesus where the relics of St. Francis Xavier are displayed.