Pope should apologise for atrocities on Goan Hindus – Gautier

New Delhi. Senior French journalist Francois Gautier said Christian missionaries had committed unspeakable atrocities on Hindus in Goa in the name of ‘Inquisition’, though people are unaware of this genocide. On the contrary, the main culprit of the Inquisition St. Xavier is being glorified in India. He was speaking at the inauguration of online exhibition of paintings on atrocities committed by missionaries during ‘Goa Inquisition’.

Gautier said those who tell true history are unfortunately derided as fundamentalists in India. The details of atrocities committed on the ancestors of Hindus should come out before the world. Not only this, but Pope must tender apology about these atrocities, demanded the French journalist.

At the start of the programme, the ‘online’ exhibition of pictures on ‘Goa Inquisition’ was inaugurated at the auspicious hands of the National Guide of Hindu Janajagruti Samiti Sadguru (Dr.) Charudatta Pingale. The exhibition is available on website www.goainquisition.info. The Union Minister of State for Ayush and Defence Shripad Naik sent his best wishes for the programme.

Among others who spoke at the function include Shefali Vaidya, historian of Goa Prof. Prajal Sakhardande and the National Spokesperson of Hindu Janjagruti Samiti.
Shefali Vaidya said the Portuguese rule was crueller than that of the British. Although the demand to include the history of ‘Goa Inquisition’ in the textbooks and erect a museum on this theme was made several times, nothing of the sort appears to be happening. “We must comprehend our history; otherwise, these people will deny that anything like this had ever happened. ‘Goa Inquisition’ is a social agony,” she said.

According to Sakhardande, from 1560 to 1812, a lot of atrocities were committed on Hindus in Goa in the name of ‘Inquisition’. “Hindus were converted on a large scale. Those who did not follow the law were burnt alive. ‘Goa Inquisition’ is a black chapter in the history of Hindus,” he added.

Ramesh Shinde said a rare evidence of ‘Goa Inquisition’, the ‘Hat Kataro’ pillar in Old Goa is facing total neglect. A conspiracy is being hatched to remove this pillar from the archaeological department records. The department claims that no such pillar exists in Goa. ‘Hat Kataro’ pillar should be declared as a national monument