Goa BJP speaks out against Monument Mitra scheme

| | PANAJI

After being panned by the Opposition in the national Capital over the selection of the iconic Red Fort for private adoption, under the '0' scheme of the Tourism Ministry, the Goa BJP too appears to have joined the chorus of dissent against the scheme floated by the NDA, which has listed among other heritage sites, the historic Basilica of Bom Jesus Church, in Goa, as one of sites up for the corporate sponsorship scheme.

Faced with tremendous critique from the local opposition parties and a rebuff from ruling coalition alliance partners like the Goa Forward, Bharatiya Janata Party State president Vinay Tendulkar on Friday, tried to distance the State Government from the National Democratic Alliance Government's decision to include United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) endorsed Church complex in the 'Monument Mitra' list.

"Stake holders should be taken into confidence before going ahead with such decision. Affecting the sentiments of people is not a good thing," Tendulkar said at a press conference on Friday in Panaji, when asked to comment on the ongoing controversy over privatisation of heritage.

Ever since, the controversy broke out some days back, the Opposition has slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party in Goa for not opposing the inclusion of the Archaeological Society of India protected baroque-styled Church complex, which his regarded as a world heritage site.

"The BJP-led coalition Government in Goa has no issues mortgaging its heritage? This is shamelessness of the highest level when the government pledges its own culture to a company to earn revenue," newly appointed state Congress president Girish Chodankar said.

Ruling minister and Minister for Archives and Archaeology Vijai Sardesai tried to distance the state government from the National Democratic Alliance government's decision and tried to deflect the blame on the former.

"The State Government was not taken into confidence while taking this decision," Sardesai said.

The Basilica of Bom Jesus a four hundred year Basilica housing the sacred relics of St Francis Xavier, a 16th century missionary saint and hosts the annual feast of the state's patron saint Francis Xavier, which is attended by hundreds and thousands of devotees.