Panaji: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday said the majority of Goa’s population was saved from being forcibly converted to Christianity during Portuguese rule thanks to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Speaking at a government function to mark the birth anniversary of the iconic 17th century Maratha ruler at Farmagudi in Ponda tehsil, Sawant said the governance of Shivaji Maharaj and his son Sambhaji Maharaj offers lessons to modern-day governments.
Goa’s real history is not taught to students, said the BJP leader.
“We are told that the Portuguese ruled Goa for 450 years, which is not true. They could rule only three talukas, Salcette, Bardez and Tiswadi, for 450 years, while the rest of Goa was outside their dominion. They ruled over the whole of Goa only for 90-100 years,” Sawant said.
The rest of Goa was part of Shivaji Maharaj’s state, and hence temples in these parts remained safe and the people did not convert to Christianity, the chief minister claimed.
“It was only because of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s rule that the majority of people in Goa were not forced to convert to Christianity,” he added.
When the Portuguese issued orders that residents of Bardez taluka, which they had conquered, should convert, Shivaji Maharaj came to the people’s rescue by launching a military operation, Sawant said.
“The Portuguese signed a treaty with Shivaji Maharaj, promising that they will not force anyone to convert. That is how conversions stopped,” the chief minister said.
As much as 70 per cent of Goa was under “Shiv Shahi” (Shivaji Maharaj’s rule), he said.
The BJP government in the state takes inspiration from the governance of the Maratha ruler, and that was why its focus was making the downtrodden sections of society self-sufficient, Sawant added.
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