Portuguese destroyed temples, wipe away signs of their rule: Goa CM

Hailing the pivotal role played by Maratha ruler Shivaji in deterring the Portuguese from destroying more temples in the state, he said, “The treaty mandated that the Portuguese will not destroy temples. The destruction of temples stopped after that.”

Sawant was speaking at an event on Tuesday commemorating the 350th anniversary of the coronation of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Betul Fort, which was built on the orders of the Maratha ruler.

Hon’ble Chief Minister @DrPramodPSawant visited the Shivaji Maharaj’s Memorial at Varkhand.

Hon’ble Minister of State for Tourism Shri @shripadynaik, EDC Chairman, Shri @ShetSadanand, MLA’s Shri Pravin Arlekar and Shri @PremendraShet were also present at the occasion. pic.twitter.com/V6zsRW7JxX

— CMO Goa (@goacm) June 7, 2023

“…after 60 years, we should wipe away the signs of the Portuguese. We need to start afresh. We are celebrating the 75th year of India’s independence…how Goa should be and what Goa is going to be when India is celebrating 100 years of independence, we have started thinking of that now,” Sawant said.

Sawant said that the Maratha ruler came to Goa and rebuilt the Saptakoteshwar temple and warned the Portuguese against destroying temples.“The major credit for protecting the Hindu culture goes to Shivaji and his son Sambhaji…It was Shivaji who had first put forth the idea of swaraj or self-government in the country,” the chief minister claimed.

Sawant added that once the government gets possession of the land from the Customs, the Betul Fort would be restored and notified as a state monument.

In the state budget presented last year, the Goa government had earmarked Rs 20 crore for restoration of temples destroyed in the state.