Panjim: Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) to raise questions over the sainthood of Jesuit priest Francis Xavier and also expose the atrocities meted out on Goans during the Goa Inquisition.
The Catholic Church canonised saint’s body is now at the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Goa where it is placed in a glass container and revered by Christians around the world
FACT and HJS in its online exhibition to be held today will be having a discussion on Goa Inquisition – The Untold Atrocities of St Xavier and Missionaries. The speakers at the discussion will be Francois Gautier, journalist and writer; Shefali Vaidya, author and speaker; Professor Pranjal Sakhardande, Historian and Ramesh Shinde, National Spokesperson HJS.
HJS on its Twitter handle states, “Many people think that so-called St. Francis Xavier had nothing to do with #GoaInquisition. But it was Xavier only who had asked Portugal King permission to carry out Inquisition in Goa. His name should be removed from colleges, places etc. for such brutality.”
It further stated in another tweet, “Today is 30 May which is also known as Goa Statehood Day. But many Goans & fellow Indians have forgotten blood history of Goa Inquisition & how missionaries tortured people in most inhuman ways.”