YouTuber Gautam Khattar, booked for allegedly making derogatory remarks against Saint Francis Xavier, was brought to Goa on transit remand on Sunday, April 26, after being arrested in Himachal Pradesh. Khattar made the controversial comments on April 18 at an event organised by the Sanatan Dharma Raksha Samiti in Mormugao. The event was attended by Goa Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho and BJP MLAs Sankalp Amonkar and Krishna Salkar. His remarks quickly went viral, triggering widespread outrage and protests across the state.
Khattar, who calls himself a “spiritual beat journalist” and is the founder of Sanatan Mahasangh, was speaking at a Bhagwan Parshuram Janmotsav event in Vasco, South Goa.
Following the circulation of his speech online, protests erupted across Goa. Demonstrators marched to police stations, threatened a bandh, and demanded immediate action, accusing him of hurting religious sentiments and disturbing communal harmony.
The Sanatan Dharma Raksha Samiti distanced itself from Khattar’s remarks and issued a public apology, stating that he had been invited to speak on Sanatan Dharma, not to make offensive comments about the state’s patron saint.
The Archdiocese of Goa and Daman expressed “deep pain and anguish,” calling the remarks divisive and hurtful to people across communities who revere the saint.
Political leaders across party lines, including BJP, Congress, AAP and Goa Forward Party, condemned the incident. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant assured strict action, emphasising that Goa’s communal harmony “cannot be disturbed by outsiders.”
Saint Francis Xavier, also known as “Goencho Saib” (Lord of Goa), is one of the most revered figures in the state. A Spanish Jesuit missionary and founding member of the Society of Jesus, he arrived in Goa in 1542 during Portuguese rule. His remains have been preserved at the Basilica of Bom Jesus since 1624.
He died in 1552 off the coast of China, and his body was later brought to Goa via Malacca. The remains are considered “incorruptible” by many believers, seen as a sign of divine intervention.
Once every decade, Goa hosts the exposition of the saint’s relics, an event that draws lakhs of pilgrims and tourists.
During this period, the relics are moved from the Basilica to the Se Cathedral and displayed for public veneration for over a month. The centuries-old silver casket containing the remains is central to this ritual, which holds immense religious and cultural importance.
Source: India Latest News, Breaking News Today, Top News Headlines | Times Now
