Panaji: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday said that the majority of people in Goa were saved from being converted to Christianity due to the rule of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the coastal state.
Addressing the state-level function at Farmagudi in Ponda taluka, Sawant said that the lessons of governance given by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his son Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj are still followed by governments today.
The Chief Minister stated that the real history of Goa is not taught to students. “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 beyond their control. They ruled over the entire region for only 90-100 years,” he said.
Sawant pointed out that the rest of Goa was under Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s Shiv Shahi, ensuring that temples in these areas remained safe and people were not converted to Christianity.
The Chief Minister emphasized that it was only due to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s rule that a majority of Goans were not forced to convert. He recalled that when the Portuguese issued orders for conversions in Bardez taluka, Shivaji Maharaj launched an attack.
“A treaty was signed between the Portuguese and Shivaji Maharaj, ensuring that forced conversions would stop. That is how conversions were halted,” Sawant stated.
He further said that 70% of Goa was under Shiv Shahi or Hindavi Swarajya during the reign of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
The Chief Minister added that the current government draws inspiration from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s governance, focusing on uplifting the downtrodden and making them self-sufficient.
