Rahul Gandhi has spoken out against the ruling BJP, accusing it of stoking communal tensions in Goa following remarks made by Subhash Velingkar, the former state chief of the RSS, regarding the relics of St. Francis Xavier. Subhash Velingkar, who questioned the authenticity of the relics and the saint’s title as “Goencho Saib” (Protector of Goa), has sparked widespread protests among Goa’s Christian community. The decennial exposition of the saint’s relics, a major religious event, will take place from November 2024 to January 2025, adding to the issue’s sensitivity.
Protesters demand that Subhash Velingkar be externed from the state until the exposition is complete. On Friday, the Bicholim police registered a case against him for “hurting religious sentiments,” and he is currently absconding as police search for him. In his statement on social media platform X, Rahul Gandhi condemned the comments and blamed the BJP for attempting to divide the people of Goa. He said, “Goa’s appeal lies in its natural beauty and the warmth and hospitality of its diverse and harmonious people. Unfortunately, under BJP rule, this harmony is under attack.”
Gandhi’s statement connects the controversy to what he sees as a broader strategy by the BJP to create divisions across India while exploiting ecologically sensitive areas. He also pointed out that similar incidents backed by the RSS, part of the BJP’s ideological base, have occurred elsewhere in the country with impunity.
In response, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant called for calm, assuring the public that the law would take its course. Sawant indicated that the same legal process applied to Subhash Velingkar would be followed as it was in the case of Father Bolmax Pereira, who was earlier arrested for provocative remarks. The protests, however, continue to escalate, with local leaders and citizens demanding accountability from the BJP-led government.
The controversy comes at a time when religious tensions are high in Goa, and it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold in the lead-up to the decennial exposition.
