If at all the Goa government wants to felicitate Portugal Prime Minister Antonio Costa of Goan origin, then it has to be after ensuring that he apologises to Goans for all the acts of repression during the erstwhile Portuguese colonial rule in Goa, said Goa RSS supremo Subhash Velingkar on Wednesday.
When asked by The Hindu about the desire expressed by the BJP-led alliance government to felicitate Mr. Costa, in the State Legislative Assembly last week, Mr. Velinkar said he was not saying he should not be felicitated, but if they want to felicitate him it should be on the pre-condition that he apologises for all acts of trying to destroy Goan culture and identity during dark history of Portuguese rule in Goa for 451 years.
He expressed his approval of the demand for apology made by BJP’s alliance partner, Senior Minister Ramkrishna Dhavlikar of MGP, in the State Assembly last week while speaking on a congratulatory motion on Mr. Costa’s anointment as Portugal Prime Minister.
He said that there should be no objection to such a felicitation as he is a person with Goan origin, but that should not be an excuse for some pro-Portuguese elements to display their loyalty to Portugal.
"Dy. Chief Minister (Francisco D’Souza) who moved the proposal of felicitation, in the State Assembly, and the Chief Minister (Parsekar) who endorsed it should ensure that this condition of apology is met," asserted Mr. Velingkar.
