Goa Police have registered an FIR against right-wing speaker Gautam Khattar for allegedly making objectionable remarks against St Francis Xavier, the patron saint of the state, triggering widespread outrage and political reactions.
The case was filed at Vasco police station following a complaint by Congress functionary Peter D’Souza, with police invoking provisions related to hurting religious sentiments and promoting enmity under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Officials said further action will be taken in accordance with the law.
The controversy erupted after a video of Khattar, founder of the Sanatan Mahasangh, addressing a public event in Mormugao went viral. The programme was attended by several political figures, including state Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho and BJP MLAs.
According to the FIR, Khattar allegedly made “highly objectionable and insensitive” remarks about St Francis Xavier—revered locally as Goencho Saib—with the intent to outrage the religious sentiments of the Christian community and disturb communal harmony.
The relics of St Francis Xavier are housed at the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa, a major religious site that attracts devotees from across India and abroad.
The incident has drawn sharp criticism from opposition leaders. Congress MLA Altone D’Costa demanded Khattar’s immediate arrest, alleging that the remarks were an attempt to incite communal disharmony. Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao and Goa Forward Party chief Vijai Sardesai also called for strict action, warning that such statements threaten Goa’s tradition of communal harmony.
Meanwhile, another complaint has been filed by South Goa District Congress president Assiz Noronha at Margao police station, though no FIR has been registered in that case so far.
The organisers of the event, Sanatan Dharma Raksha Samiti, have distanced themselves from Khattar’s remarks and issued a public apology to the Christian community, stating they did not anticipate such comments and had attempted to intervene during the speech.
The incident has intensified political tensions in the state, with demands for swift legal action and renewed focus on maintaining communal peace in Goa.
