After CM Pramod Sawant’s comment, Hindu body says let’s make ‘Goa Files’ on Portuguese atrocities

PANAJI: A week after CM Pramod Sawant said it was "time to wipe out signs of the Portuguese", the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) on Wednesday said it would discuss the making of a film, 'Goa Files', on the atrocities on Hindus during the Portuguese rule in the state. "If India has accepted 'The Kashmir Files' and 'The Kerala Story', then why shouldn't there be a 'Goa Files'?" HJS national spokesperson Ramesh Shinde said on Wednesday.
Last week, while speaking at a function to mark the 350th anniversary of Shivaji's coronation, Sawant had said at least on the 60th anniversary of Goa's Liberation, the state should remove all Portuguese influence and "have a fresh start". He had said the Portuguese had begun destroying temples 350 years ago and it was stopped only after Shivaji confronted them.
Shinde said "unspeakable atrocities" were inflicted by the Portuguese against the Hindus during the inquisition. "Why shouldn't everyone in Goa and in the rest of India know about the extent of the atrocities that took place?"
The HJS spokesperson said that the making of 'Goa Files' will be discussed during the 11th edition of the annual all-India Hindu Rashtra Convention at Ramnathi in Ponda. The convention will see hundreds of heads of different Hindu organisations from India and around the world come together for the week-long event beginning on June 16.
Will help govt identify sites of temples destroyed during Portuguese rule: HJS
The Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) on Wednesday said it would discuss the making of a film, ‘Goa Files, on atrocities against Hindus in Goa during Portuguese rule.
“The Supreme Christian leader, the Pope, has publicly apologised throughout the globe for the inhumane atrocities committed by Christians worldwide,” Shinde said. “Is there a reason why he has not apologised to the people of Goa yet? Goa’s dark history can no longer be hidden from the public. ”
The convention will al-so propose to the Goa government to establish a museum in the state on the inquisition.
“Such museums exist in Christian countries like Peru, Brazil, Spain and Portugal. Then why shouldn’t such a museum be established in Goa?” Shinde said. “Only then will therest of India see the museum and know under what circumstances Goa attained freedom. ”
The HJS will also assist the Goa government in its efforts to identify sites of temples destroyed during the Portuguese rule so that temples can be rebuilt at these locations, he said.
In his budget speech in 2022, Sawant said that the Portuguese systematically destroyed Goan culture. “At many places in Goa, we find several temples in a dilapidated and neglected condition. During the Portuguese regime, there was a systematic effect to destroy these cultural centres. ” He had added, “Considering tourism development, we have made a provision of Rs 20 crore for reconstruction and restoration of these temples and sites. ”
Shinde also congratulated the Goa government for renovating the Shree Saptakoteshwar temple and for adding the Cuncolim revolt for freedom against Portuguese rule in Goa for the first time in history textbooks.
“It took us 50 years to add this to the textbook. We need to speed up the process of te-aching our younger generations about the history of atrocities and the freedom struggle in Goa,” he said.
HJS dharmapracharak Nilesh Singbal said more than 1,500 representatives of more than 350 Hindu organisations from 28 states and from the US, the UK, Belgium, Germany, Singapore, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal will participate in the convention.
Sanatan Sanstha national spokesperson Chetan Rajhans said this year’s convention will be attended by Veer Savarkar’s nephew Ranjit Savarkar and Vishnu Shankar Jain, who had fought a court battle against the Gyanvapi mosque in Kashi, among others.
Hindu Vidhidnya Parishad’s Nagesh Joshi said that more than 150 advocates will attend the event.