In Short
- Protesters block National Highway in North Goa, call for further agitation
- Christian body condemns RSS leader’s comments, seeks action
- Rahul Gandhi criticises BJP, Sangh for communal tensions
Tensions flared in parts of Goa on Sunday as members of the Christian community took to the streets, calling for the arrest of Subhash Velingkar, the former Goa unit chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), over his remarks regarding the Catholic missionary St Francis Xavier.
Locals and political leaders staged a protest in Old Goa seeking action against Velingkar. The protesters also called on like-minded individuals to gather in Margao city in South Goa for a demonstration. Late on Saturday, a group of protesters blocked a national highway in Margao and clashed with police. Five protesters were detained.
Meanwhile, Goa Church authorities have called for peace and restraint amid growing protest.
Commenting on the development, Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, on Sunday slammed the BJP for “deliberately stoking communal tensions,” adding that Goa’s harmony is “under attack” under BJP rule.
This story was originally published in indiatoday.in. Read the full story here.