People from marginalised and economically backward sections are being targetted for religious conversion in Goa, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Friday, adding that his government would not allow such conversions to occur in the coastal state.
"I'm not telling lies but, in various parts of Goa today, people are stepping up conversions. And various people are trying to take advantage of trying circumstances... someone is poor, someone is in a minority, someone is backward, doesn't have food, doesn't have a job..." Sawant said at a function at Kudnem village in Bicholim in North Goa.
"I'm saying that such religious conversions should not take place... the government will never allow conversions to take place, but I believe the people need to awaken, the temple in each village needs to awaken, small temple communities need to awaken," Sawant added.
The Chief Minister also said that people from Goa had to flee with their Hindu deities during the Portuguese regime to escape religious persecution.
"Sixty years back, people believed that if God is saved, then the religion is saved and if religion is saved, then the country is saved. With this in mind, people used to flee along with their gods here in Goa," he said.
"But back then, many families, families of those who were displaced, began trying to locate their kul devasthans (family deities) and restarted the devotion -- the gods and culture that was destroyed during the Portuguese rule, those families have tried to restore it," Sawant added.
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