By Rajan Narayan

UNLESS Chief Minister Pramod Sawant takes stringent action against one time RSS chief Subhash Velingkar, the economy of Goa will be severely impacted this tourism season which also includes the 16th St Francis Xavier Exposition coming up in November (the exposition happen every ten years). The agitations taking place across Goa against Subhash Velingkar’s hate speeches have also been suspended for the time being.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has assured strict action will be taken against Subhash Velingkar. It may be recalled that last year in August 2023 the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Goa very promptly arrested Fr Bolmax Pereira for his comments on Maratha warrior king Shivaji Maharaj. Even though, unlike Subhash Velingkar, Fr Bolmax instantly apologized.
Former RSS chief Subhash Velingkar on the other hand is unrepentant. In a statement issued on Saturday, October 5, 2024 on social media, Velingkar insisted that he had only quoted historical sources. The issue is what evidence does Shubhash Velingkar have for doubting that the secret relics in the silver casket at Bom Jesus Basilica are not that of Francis Xavier but that of a Buddhist monk?
I have researched the life and times of St Francis Xavier for my book “Goencho Saib.” The church does not accept claims made by followers of any saint very easily. Similarly, in the case of Francis Xavier the claim of the incorruptible body of St Francis Xavier was miraculous. When the body of the Spanish Jesuit priest Francis Xavier was recovered from Shangchuan island in China where it was first buried, it was found to be still as fresh as the day he was buried. Eyewitness evidence claims the body even bled when it was pricked.

STRINGENT TESTS
BEFORE the claim of the incorrupt body was accepted the Vatican subjected the miraculously preserved body to stringent tests. Only after the miracle was substantiated to everyone’s satisfaction was the missionary Francis Xavier canonized as a saint. The incorrupt body was brought back to Goa in 1794.
I got my first close glimpse of the incorrupt body of St Francis Xavier during the 1994 exposition. It was an honor for me to help carry the casket from the Sacristy of Bom Jesus Basilica to the exit from where it began its journey to the Se Cathedral. Among those who participated in the transportation of the casket to the Se Cathedral were the then dean of the Goa Medical College, Dr BN Reddy, and head of the Neurosurgery department Dr VN Jindal.
Dr Reddy was an expert in forensics. Both the doctors had agreed that the 400-plus years old body of Francis Xavier was in a remarkable state of preservation. In the normal course, any human body is reduced to dust within a period of five years. This is why the bible talks about “dust thou art and unto dust thou shalt return.” But this was spoken only of the body and not the soul.
The real miracle was that in the case of Francis Xavier, the body did not disintegrate into dust even after 500 years. It may be noted that the church does not claim that in its present state, the body is uncorrupted. The church only refers to the sacred relics of St Francis Xavier with reverence. There is no basis for Subhash Velingkar to doubt the authenticity of the relics of St Francis Xavier. There is no justification of any sought for his demanding a DNA test of the secret relics of Francis Xavier.

GOAN ECONOMY
ALSO, former RSS chief of Goa Subhash Velingkar does not seem to have any concern for the Goan economy. He does not seem to have any concern for the livelihood of Goans who also depend on tourism for their daily bread and butter. The controversy created by Subhash Velingkar comes on the eve of the peak of the tourism season in Goa. The peak tourism season in fact has already begun with the arrival of two Russian charters. The popular shacks on the beaches have already started functioning.
The government must recognize that the forthcoming exposition of the relics of St Francis Xavier is a very major tourism event. The exposition starting on November 21, 2024 will last for 40 days till January 5, 2025. It will attract pilgrims from all over India and indeed from all parts of the world. This time around a special attempt is being made to woo pilgrims from Japan, Malaysia and other countries in which Francis Xavier preached his faith.
The exposition is also expected to attract the faithful devotees from Portugal and Spain. Though Francis Xavier is Spanish by birth he was sent to India by the then King John III of Portugal. The last exposition saw over 50 million visitors during the 40-day exposition.

IFFI TOO IS HERE
GOA’S tourism season which started on October 1 will peak over the balmy Goan months of November, December right till the New Year and into the new year of 2025. Besides the Exposition of St Francis Xavier, Goa will also be playing host to the 54th International Film Festival of India from November 20 to 28, 2024.
Many film directors, Hollywood film actors and other cinema personalities from the world over will be visiting Goa. Then there is also the annual Serendipity Art & Cultural Festival in December. Side by side the Exposition of the St Francis Xavier’s relics will continue from November 21 to January 5, 2025.
Historically, major efforts have to be made to avoid the clash between the annual feast of St Francis Xavier and the IFFI. This is why the period of IFFI was shortened from November 20 to 28. Earlier it was extended to December 3 which is the day of the feast of St Francis Xavier. But a clash between the decennial exposition of the relics of St Francis Xavier and the IFFI could not be avoided. Both events are planned and scheduled much in advance.
For stakeholders in the tourism industry which includes almost every Goan, Goa’a peak tourism period is very important. Indeed, almost 70% of the revenue of the tourism industry comes in during the peak season months November and January. Subhash Velingkar, being a Goan, cannot be unaware of how much disruption his remarks on St Francis Xavier can cause.
We are inclined to believe that his crude statements on Francis Xavier are a deliberate attempt to create enmity between the Hindu and the Christian communities in Goa. The Catholic community has demonstrated its strength. It has given notice that it will not tolerate attacks on St Francis Xavier or any religious icons of the church.

SPONTANEOUS PROTESTS
THE recent spontaneous protests were witnessed in all parts of Goa stretching from Siolim, Old Goa and Santa Cruz in North Goa to Margao and the coastal belt in South Goa. Even the Catholic BJP MLAs in South Goa extended support to the protests against Subhash Velingkar. The protests was loudest in Margao, the constituency of former Congressman Digambar Kamat who later joined the BJP.
The protests also dramatized that even though many Catholic MLAs such as Alexio Sequeira have joined the BJP, their voters have defamed them to join the SFX protest. It is even more heartening to know that the Goa branch of the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind has expressed solidarity with the minority Catholic community.
Though the percentage of Catholics in the total population may have fallen to 25% in recent times, there has been a simultaneous increase in the Muslim population. Between them the Catholics and Muslims account for almost 40% of the current population of Goa. The SFX protest is a warning to the BJP. The minority Catholic community will reject all Catholic ministers and MLAs who have not joined the protests against the sacrilegious remarks by Subhash Velingkar against St Francis Xavier.
The comments made by Fr Bolmax on Shivaji Maharaj were very mild compared to those of Subhash Velingkar. Velingkar has questioned the authenticity of the sacred relics of St Francis Xavier. These relics are at the heart of the great belief of miracles to do with reverence of Goencho Saib among Goans.
There is also a rationale behind the decennial Exposition of St Francis Xavier. Velingkar cannot be unaware of the fact that Modi has accepted the importance of the Exposition of St Francis Xavier starting on November 21, 2024. Indeed, under the scheme of extending support to religious tourism, the Central government has extended financial support to the exposition.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant is the chairman of the Exposition Committee and senior cabinet ministers Alexio Sequeira and Mauvin Godinho are members of the committee. While the CM has promised to take action against Subhash Velingkar both Mauvin Godinho and Alexio Sequeira have been sidelined. Goans may target ministers and MLAs to for not joining the protests against the unwarranted remarks of RSS leader Subhash Velingkar.

‘NAFRAT KI DUKAN’
WHILE the government has been quick to arrest the Catholic protestors against Velingkar’s remarks, no action has been taken against the Hindutva groups. A large group of Hindutva activists gathered in Mapusa at the Bodgeshwar temple in defense of Subhash Velingkar. It would appear that the BJP has opened its “nafrat ki dukan” in Goa also.
It all started with the refusal of permission for the traditional “julus” on the occasion of Eid-ul-Milad on September 16. This was followed by Hindutva elements banning Muslim traders from participating in the Saturday night market at Chaudi in Canacona. There have been similar demands for banning the “julus” in Cuncolim. Forcing the Muslims to march to the Mapusa police station to protest against discrimination against Muslim vendors.
The Hindutva brigade has now taken to spewing its poison against Goa’s Catholic people. Unlike the Muslim minority, the Catholic minority is supported by the church which is very powerful in Goa. The Centre for Social Justice & Action, a body supported by the church, had extended support to the SFX protests. But the church has requested the flock to get off street protests to void sparking off a communal clash.
However, the minority communities have had made it clear that they are capable of defending themselves against fundamentalist Hindutva elements and forces. The protests against Subhash Velingkar’s provocative allegations about the status of the highly venerated St Francis Xavier have found an echo in New Delhi. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has accused the ruling BJP of deliberately stoking communal tensions in Goa, following the controversy over comments made by former RSS chief Velingkar about the patron saint Francis Xavier.
In a Twitter post Rahul Gandhi has commented that “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 in Goa. The BJP strategy is clear. Divide the people while exploiting ecologically sensitive areas by illegally converting green land and bypassing environmental regulations.” Rahul Gandhi insists that this is an assault on Goa’s natural and social heritage.