No religious conversion in Goa, CM's comment to please his bosses: Congress

On Friday, CM Sawant at a function in Bicholim in North Goa had said that religious conversions were on the rise in Goa

Leader of Opposition Michael Lobo on Monday said that there no religious conversion was occurring in Goa, adding Chief Minister Pramod Sawant's recent comment wherein the latter claimed that religious conversions were on the rise in Goa was only aimed at pleasing the CM's bosses.

"What he has done is not the right thing. There is no conversion happening in Goa, first of all I want to tell you one thing. He should show me that conversions occur in a particular church. I will come with him. Let him show me that there is conversion going on in a particular place," Lobo told reporters on Monday.

"He has made a wild charge, maybe to please his bosses or somebody like that, which is wrong. He has disturbed the people of Goa by giving such a wrong statement. It has gone in a very, very negative way. It has not gone in a positive way," the Congress leader said, adding that Sawant's statement last Friday had sent a "wrong signal" to the people of the state.

On Friday, Sawant at a function in Bicholim in North Goa had said that religious conversions were on the rise in Goa, while adding that people from marginalised and economically backward sections were being targetted.

"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 had said.

"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," he had added.

--IANS

maya/pgh