By Matters India Reporter
Margao, Oct 7, 2024: A court in Goa on September 7 rejected the anticipatory bail of the state’s former RSS chief Subhash Velingkar, who had allegedly made offending statements against St Francis Xavier.
The Additional District Court in Panaji denied interim relief to Subhash Velingkar in relation to the FIR filed against him.
Velingkar’s lawyer argued that his client had committed no crime. Velingkar’s demand for DNA test on the saint’s relics was only a suggestion. He did not start a debate about the saint’s identity and the situation had been hyped because of political reasons, the lawyer added.
One of the complainants Velim legislator Cruz Silva argued that Velingkar’s demand was a cognizable offence as it had hurt the Goans’ sentiments.
Earlier, people protesting Velingar called their stir following appeals from activists and a Church body for restraint.
On October 5, hundreds of people stormed police stations in South Goa, demanding Velingkar’s arrest. Protests took place in Old Goa, Canacona, Panaji, Anjuna and Ponda and parts of the state. Police on October 5 night used batons to disperse the protesters in Margao, the state’s commercial capital where the stir first started.
As the situation seemed going out of control, the social work wing of the Archdiocese of Goa urged the protesters to exercise restraint in the interest of the general law and order situation.
Father Savio Fernandes, executive secretary, Council for Social Justice and Peace (CSJP), in a statement on October 6 condemned Velingkar’s “insulting and derogatory statements” that “have deeply hurt the religious sentiments not only of the Catholics who venerate St Francis Xavier as a saint.”
The priest pointed out that many followers of other religions revere Saint Francis Xavier after having received numerous favors through his intercession.
Father Fernandes appealed to the Goans not to use the controversy to distract attention from major problems plaguing their state.
“We express our solidarity with the non-violent protests and appeal to the people, in the name of the peace and harmony that has always existed in this state, to exercise restraint in the interest of the general law and order situation,” the statement added.
On October 5, civil society leaders asked Velingkar to apologise for his “horrendous” statement against the Catholic saint. They also demanded him to withdraw the controversial statement.
They requested the protesters to diffuse the situation, not allow the perpetrators to divide society.
Goa Foundation director Claude Alvares demanded Velingkar to withdraw his “rotten” remarks about the saint.
“If there is a conflict in society then Velingkar will go down in history as the person who ignited this conflagration. We are hurt that he made this statement. I am a Christian, but I go to temples and celebrate Ganesh festival and visit Muslim friends. But this will rupture our Goan society which has been cohesive for so many years.”
Doctor Oscar Rebello, a renowned medical professional, said Velingkar’s “mean, spiteful and rotten” statement has upset and infuriated Goans.
He cautioned people to not let those involved in land conversions manipulate the protests to create a Hindu-Catholic conflagration that neither the police nor the government will be able to control.
“Do not give politicians an excuse to exploit the situation. What Prof Velingkar has done is horrendous, he has to apologize and it is in his hands to diffuse the situation,” he said appealing to the protesters to end their stir.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of “deliberately stoking communal tensions” in Goa.
In a post on X on October 6, Gandhi noted that Goa is known for its natural beauty and the warmth and hospitality of its diverse and harmonious people.
“Unfortunately, under BJP rule, this harmony is under attack,” he alleged.
He also said the BJP’s strategy in Goa is to divide the people while exploiting ecologically sensitive areas by illegally converting green land and bypassing environmental regulations.
On October 4 night, the Goa police booked Velingkar for “outraging religious feelings and insulting religious beliefs” by giving a “maligning speech against St Francis Xavier.”