Temples destroyed in the past should be rebuilt: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant

Amid the ongoing row over Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Sunday said all the temples destroyed in the past should be rebuilt, while asserting that the BJP government in the state has made budgetary allocation for reinstating temples demolished during the Portuguese rule.

Sawant also said the Goa government has been making efforts to promote cultural tourism in the state and wheedling people to visit temples of the coastal state.

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Participating in a media conclave organised here on the occasion of the completion of 75 years of RSS' weeklies Organiser and Panchjanya, Sawant said, "In the 450 years of Portuguese rule, there was a destruction of the Hindu culture and many people were converted. Temples of the state were destroyed. We are going to rejuvenate all of this. I believe wherever there are temples in destroyed condition, they should be rebuilt. This is my firm opinion."

Responding to a question of Organiser editor Prafulla Ketkar, Sawant said his government is working overtime to promote cultural tourism in Goa, which is one of the most sought-after destinations for tourists.

In every village, there are a couple of temples. We have to take people from the beach to the temple, Sawant said, adding his government is pushing for "cultural tourism".

As many BJP-ruled states are inclining towards uniform civil code (UCC), Sawant said Goa already has this code in place and every state must have it.

I say proudly that Goa has been following uniform civil code since its liberation. I believe all other states must follow the UCC. We have discussed the Goa UCC with other chief ministers also, he said.

Sawant also blamed the then Congress government for delay in Goa's liberation, saying that India became independent in 1947 while the state achieved its liberation in 1961.

When asked about mining in Goa, Sawant said that his government is working on restarting mining in the state which has been banned since 2012.

A local court in Varanasi on May 16 directed the district administration to seal a spot in the Gyanvapi Masjid complex after counsels representing the Hindu petitioners said a Shivling was found during a court-mandated videography survey.

However, a mosque management committee spokesperson disputed the claim, saying that the object was part of a fountain.

A day later, the Supreme Court directed the district magistrate of Varanasi to ensure the protection of an area inside the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex where a 'Shivling' was said to have been found and allowed Muslims to offer namaz' and perform religious observances.