Protests have started across Goa after state leader Subhash Velingkar demanded DNA testing of the remains of Christian saint Francis Xavier kept in a Goa Church. In view of the protest, Goa Police on Saturday (5th October 2024) said that Velingkar is absconding and raids are being conducted to find him.
The Christian community of Goa alleges that their religious sentiments have been hurt by Velingkar demanding DNA testing of the remains of Francis Xavier. Along with this, they also say that communal harmony has also been destroyed by Velingkar making such a statement. At least half a dozen complaints have been filed against former RSS leader Velingkar across Goa in this regard.
Based on the complaint of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Cruz Silva, an FIR was registered at Bicholim police station in North Goa on Friday (4th October) night. Velingkar has been booked under Section 299 (malicious act with intent to outrage religious feelings by insulting religion or religious beliefs of any class) of the Indian Penal Code (BNS).
According to the FIR, Velingkar made a derogatory speech against St. Francis Xavier with malicious intent, which hurt religious sentiments. Sources say that a police team went to Velingkar’s house on Friday (4th October) night, but he was not found there. Notably, Velingkar was expelled from the organization by the RSS in the year 2016.
Protests were held in many areas of the state on Friday (October 4, 2024) demanding the arrest of Velingkar. More than 300 people gathered outside the police station in Margao. Many leaders of Congress and Aam Aadmi Party were also among the protesters. Police had to lathicharge to disperse the protesters.
On Saturday (October 5, 2024), protesters blocked roads in Margao, Anjuna, and Old Goa. The protesters warned the Goa Police that if the accused Velingkar was not arrested soon, they would block the Zuari bridge. In view of the protest, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant appealed to the people to maintain peace and not block the roads.
Pramod Sawant said, “Whatever action was taken against Father Bolmax, similar action will be taken against Velingkar as well.” Father Bolmax Pereira, priest of St Francis Xavier Church in Chicalim, South Goa, was booked last year for hurting religious sentiments by making derogatory remarks about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Parshuram is not Francis Xavier but the savior of Goa: Subhash Velingkar
Earlier this week, Subhash Velingkar had demanded a DNA test of the remains of St. Francis Xavier, who is called the patron of Goa. Velingkar said that St. Xavier cannot be called ‘Goencho Saib’ (patron of Goa). Earlier in the year 2022, he had made a similar statement. At that time too, his statement was opposed.
In the year 2022, Velingkar had said that St. Francis Xavier cannot be called ‘Goencho Saib’. He had said that a campaign called ‘The Goa Files’ should be launched to create awareness. Subhash Velingkar says that Goencho Saib is not St. Francis Xavier, but Parshuram is ‘Goencho Saib’.
St. Francis Xavier was a Spanish Jesuit missionary. He reached Goa in 1542. At that time, Goa was a colony of Portugal. He died in the year 1552 on Shangchuan Island located off the coast of Guangdong province of China. His remains are kept in the ‘Basilica of Bom Jesus’ in Old Goa. An exhibition of his remains will be held in Goa from 21st November, 2024, to 5th January, 2025.
Velingkar has also lodged a complaint in the police station
Velingkar filed a complaint against some activist groups at the Old Goa Police Station on Thursday (3rd October 2024). In his complaint, he said, “I recently made a statement about the Goa Inquisition, which is an unfortunate chapter in Goa’s history. It happened during Portuguese rule, while history speaks of St Francis Xavier’s contribution to the spread of Christianity.”
He further added, “It is important to understand that the Goa Inquisition created a reign of terror among many non-Christians. I draw a comparison between the actions of the Inquisition that spread hatred and terror and the true spirit of sainthood. I believe it is time to revisit history, examine the actions of the pas,t and consider the true meaning of sainthood.”
Velingkar further added, “Actions that promoted hatred or persecution during the Inquisition or in any other historical period cannot be considered sacred. This statement is not made to denigrate any religion but to highlight historical events that have shaped the experiences of countless Goans.”
Subhash Velingkar also cited the demands of the people of the Buddhist community as the reason behind his statement. He said, “My statements speak of written history, not my personal views. The demand for a DNA test to verify the identity of the remains of St. Francis Xavier is gaining momentum among Buddhists in Sri Lanka and around the world.”
What is the demand of the people of the Buddhist community
Buddhists across the world, including Sri Lanka, have been demanding an investigation into the remains of St. Francis Xavier in Goa. They say that the remains claimed to be those of Francis Xavier are in fact those of Buddhist monk Rahula Thero. In 2014, an open letter was written by Sri Lankan activist group Rahula Thero to the Government of India and the then President of Sri Lanka, His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa.
In their petition in December 2014, the Buddhist community said, “We the signatories, as concerned and right-thinking citizens of India and Sri Lanka and the rest of the world, request you to kindly intervene in resolving the long-standing dispute regarding the true identity of the remains of a body kept in a glass coffin in a church in Goa, India.”
It said, “There is a widespread belief in Sri Lanka, particularly among Buddhists, that the body in question is that of a highly respected literary giant and learned monk of Sri Lanka, Acharya Ven. The remains belong to Sri Rahula Thero (1409-91), while Catholics have been led to believe that it is the body of Francis Xavier, a controversial Christian Jesuit missionary who was accused of committing crimes against humanity by starting the infamous Goa Inquisition.”
The petition further said, “We believe that DNA testing or blood sample testing of the descendants of both the families will satisfactorily put an end to the centuries-old debates and theories. We demand that the body lying in Goa be returned to France and the controversial remains should no longer be kept in Goa as neither Goa nor India is a colony of foreign countries.”
The petition states that Goa was liberated by India in 1961. In fact, the descendants of the Konkani Christian victims of the Goa Inquisition (first proposed by Francis Xavier) have launched a nationwide campaign and have also appealed to the Indian government. There is sufficient evidence in this regard based on historical data and factual reasoning. Therefore, it should be investigated.
Sri Lankan journalist W TJS Kaviratne also wrote an article in February 2014 regarding the body of Francis Xavier. In this article, he claimed that Buddhist monks and a section of Sri Lankan devotees say that the remains of St. Francis Xavier belong to the 15th century Buddhist monk Sri Rahula Thero. However, he said that DNA testing is necessary to confirm these beliefs of people.
Christians had protested against the exhibition of Xavier’s remains
In 2014, for the first time, the Christian community of Goa protested against the public display of the remains of Francis Xavier. Xavier is said to be a saint and a miracle worker. This public exhibition was going to be the first such exhibition in the last 500 years. The time for this was proposed from 22nd November 2014 to 4th January 2015 in Goa.
At that time, a section of the Christian community had formed a group called Konkani Christian Victims of Francis Xavier’s Atrocities. They had warned of agitation against this exhibition saying that they are descendants of the victims of Xavier’s atrocities. Their demand was that Xavier’s body be sent back to his home country. They had also started a nationwide signature campaign for this demand.
People claiming to be descendants of the victims said that it has been 53 years since Portuguese rule ended in Goa. Therefore, preserving Xavier’s body in India is an insult to India and it should be sent to Portugal as soon as possible. The victims also planned to petition the Goa government and the central government.
Buddhist organizations of India are also in favor of DNA testing
Regarding the controversy that has arisen over the remains of Francis Xavier and Buddhist enlightener Rahul Thero, people and organizations of the Buddhist community of India are also in favor of DNA testing. They say that whatever is controversial, finding a solution to it by testing it scientifically is in favor of peace.
Dhamma Dhiru alias Prema Phante, a member of the management committee of Mahabodhi Temple, one of the most famous pilgrimage sites of Buddhism located in Bodh Gaya, Bihar, spoke to OpIndia in this regard. He said that people of the Buddhist community of India also want that the remains of Francis Xavier, allegedly preserved in Goa, be tested.
Prema Phante said that Rahul Thero was a great Buddhist saint and if there is a demand for an investigation regarding his remains, then it should be done. He said that there will be a discussion on this among the organizations of the Buddhist community of the country and if needed, a memorandum will also be submitted to Prime Minister Modi and the President in this regard.
Who is the famous Buddhist saint Rahul Thero
Sri Rahula Thero was a literary giant in the Sri Lankan literary world. He wrote famous literary works such as Buddhagajjaya, Vurthamaala Sandesaya, Paravi Sandesaya, Selahini Sandesaya, Kavyasekaraya, Panchika Pradeepaya, Buddhipasdiniya, Gira Sandesaya, Sakasakada and Mavulu Sandesaya in the time period from 1430 to 1440.
Rahula Thero was born on 9th June 1409 during the reign of King Parakramabahu VI. He became a monk in 1429. Thereafter he was known as Vacchishvara. Rahula Thero was fluent in 6 languages and was a reputed author, experienced astrologer, and proficient in Ayurvedic medicine. He has written many famous books in all these three fields as well as spirituality.
He became the first bhikkhu to be conferred the rank of Sangaraja by King Parakramabahu. He was also the chief incumbent and principal of Vijayaba Pirivena, an internationally acclaimed educational institution established by King Vijayabahu I. Both Vijayaba Pirivena and Rathapatha Viharaya were destroyed by Thom De Souza in 1580 AD. Only a few granite pillars survived. The temple was rebuilt in 1765 by Pallattara Thero.
Sri Rahula Thero died on 27th September 1491 at the age of 82. After his death, the villagers reached Vijayaba Pirivena and placed his body (with growing hair and nails) in the Ambana Indurugiri cave near Elpitiya for safety. It is said that Rahula Thero consumed a medicine (Sidhaloka Rasa) which will keep his body unchanged till the year 4230.
This unchangeability of his body was engraved in a verse on a copper sheet before his death. When the Portuguese reached Sri Lanka, they took possession of his body and sent it to Goa. It is said that the task of taking Rahul Thero’s body to Goa was entrusted to Christian missionary Francis Xavier. During the journey, Francis Xavier died at sea and Rahul Thero’s body was passed off as Francis Xavier’s.
Who was St. Francis Xavier
Christian missionary preacher St. Francis Xavier came to India in 1542 with a Portuguese convoy. He spread Christianity after reaching India. He was associated with the ‘Society of Jesus’. These people from Society of Jesus are called Jesuits.
After the arrival of St. Francis Xavier, by 1559, more than 350 Hindu temples were shut down in Goa. During this time, idol worshipping by Hindus was also banned. All efforts were made to make them leave Hinduism and adopt Christianity. Even after this, St. Xavier saw that his efforts to forcibly convert Hindus were not completely successful.
With time, he became convinced that the faith of Sanatan Dharma is intact. If he destroys temples, then people build temples in their homes. He saw that even after cutting people with sharp weapons, slitting their hands and necks and giving them immense torture, between Pheni (cheap liquor) and Sanatan Dharma, people chose Sanatan Dharma and embraced death.
Frustrated, Xavier wrote a letter to the King of Rome in which he described Hindus as an impure race and called them liars and deceivers. He said that their idols were black, ugly and scary as well as smeared with the smell of oil. After this, the worst period of torture on Hindus started. Francis Xavier completely took over Goa.
Religious policies were made to suppress Hindus and ‘non-believers’ who did not believe in the alleged power of Jesus were punished. Historians who wrote about this incident were also subjected to severe torture. They were either burnt by putting them in hot oil or sent to jail. Some such writers include Filippo Sasseti, Charles Delone, Claudius Buchanan etc.
For the first time in history, Hindus were forced to flee and migrate on a large scale. St. Francis Xavier went to preach Christianity not only in India but also in the Malay Peninsula, Sri Lanka, Japan, and China. It is said that he converted at least 30,000 people to Christianity in his lifetime.
The Society of Jesus or Jesuits, of which St. Francis Xavier was a part, enslaved people on a large scale. The Jesuits enslaved local tribes in America. They had more than 20,000 slaves at one time and they were employed in farms and other works. Keeping slaves and torturing them was justified many times. It was not considered against Christianity.
