People feel bad when I speak against Portuguese atrocities: Goa CM

Panaji, June 21 (IANS) Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday said that when he speaks about injustice done to Goans by Portuguese some people feel bad about.

The Chief Minister was speaking during the shifting of new premises of Goa Konkani Akademi in Panaji.

Jnanpith awardee Damodar Mauzo, Saraswati Samman awardee Mahabaleshwar Sail and other writers were present on the occasion.

"I don't have to talk much as Damodar Mauzo and Mahabaleshwar sail has cleared some issues. They have spoken about how the Portuguese were doing injustice to the Konkani language," Sawant said.

"They also spoke about inquisition. This proves that the Portuguese were doing injustice to people of the state. If I say this then people feel bad, as I speak from the position of Chief Minister. It is good that our writers spoke about it, because when writers speak people easily understand," Sawant said.

He urged the student community to learn about Portuguese inquisition. "Our writers should write about it," he said.

Mahabaleshwar Sail said that Portuguese ruled Goa for 450 years and during this period they tried to wipe away Konkani language but they did not succeed because Konkani is a rich language.

On June 6, during the 350th anniversary of the coronation of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the Chief Minister had urged the people to wipe away all the Portuguese signs from the coastal state.

The Chief Minister said that the Portuguese began destroying temples in Goa and their acts ceased only after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj intervened.

Stating that 60 years have passed since Goa was liberated, the CM said, "We should wipe away all the Portuguese signs from the coastal state."

The Chief Minister remarks had drawn flak over his remarks from politicians and netizens, who said that Portuguese had brought many things (like cashew and other things) from their land to Goa, which can't be wiped out.