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BJP flays renovation by Portuguese body

The Bharatiya Janata Party leadership in Goa has strongly criticised attempts by a Portuguese organisation to renovate and restore historical monuments and buildings in the former colony of Portugal.

Though it has not particularly targeted Fundacao Oriente, the Portugal-based cultural organisation that has taken up such works, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar plans to take a policy decision against direct funding for cultural, educational and religious purposes.

After renovating the Customs House in Panjim, the Chapel of Our Lady of the Mount in Old Goa and the façade of the 168-year-old police headquarters in Panjim, restoration of the 338-year-old Shri Saptkoteshwar Temple has been taken up by Fundacao Oriente.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, Portuguese rulers had destroyed several Hindu temples and Muslim mosques to build churches. Saptkoteswhar temple at Diwar island, across Old Goa, was one of them. Maratha king Shivaji later rebuilt it at Narve. This is temple the Fundacao Oriente is renovating.

While the action appears to be a sort of repentance for the sins of their coloniser forefathers, Dr Carlos Monjardino, president of the Fundacao Oriente, said the temple work was undertaken to undo the impression that the organisation takes up works relating only to Christianity.

"We would not mind any such funding, provided it is channelised through the state government. We, however, definitely welcome direct funding for public utilities and infrastructure like bridges," Parrikar said.

While Parrikar said the issue would be discussed at the next Cabinet meeting, Chief Secretary Ashok Nath, while inaugurating the renovated police headquarters, requested Fundacao Oriente to take up several more such works.

After spending around Rs 1.2 million for renovating the facade, Fundacao Oriente now plans to take up renovation of the entire complex, which houses police stations on both sides and the government printing press, the collectorate and Institute Menezes Braganza.

But as the Fundacao Oriente also grants scholarships to research students and publishes research books, many freedom fighters and 'nationalists' belonging to the Sangh Parivar in Goa feel the government should not allow it to take up such work.

Monjardino also plans to consult the state authorities to extend help to street children, in the form of clothes and books. Besides Goa, Fundacao has taken up similar work in Delhi, Bombay, Daman and Diu, making a special annual provision of around US$400,000. "We also plan to send a delegation to East Timor, to help the devastated country," he said.

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