Wed Oct 09 10:43:20 UTC 2024: ## Protests in Goa Over “DNA Test” Call For Saint Francis Xavier Relics End Amidst Appeals for Peace
**Margao, Goa:** Protests that erupted across Goa following former RSS chief Subhash Velingkar’s controversial call for “DNA tests” of Saint Francis Xavier’s relics have ended in South Goa’s Margao. The demonstrations were called off Sunday following appeals for restraint and peace from the Church and activists.
The protests, which began Saturday, saw hundreds gather outside police stations and block roads in Margao, Old Goa, Canacona, Panaji, Anjuna, and Ponda. The police resorted to a mild lathi-charge to disperse some protesters in Margao on Saturday night.
Fr Savio Fernandes, executive secretary of the Council for Social Justice and Peace (CSJP), condemned Velingkar’s remarks as “insulting and derogatory” and expressed solidarity with the non-violent protests.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of “deliberately stoking communal tensions” in Goa, alleging the party’s strategy is to divide the people while exploiting the environment.
Goa Police have booked Velingkar for “outraging religious feelings and insulting religious beliefs” and are conducting raids in Goa and Maharashtra to arrest him. Police have also booked protesters for blocking national highways and assaulting police personnel.
Sporadic protests continued in some areas Sunday evening. However, the majority of protesters heeded calls for peace and de-escalation, demonstrating the importance of maintaining harmony in the state.
First Piper 