Team Goemkarponn
VASCO: Organisers of the Parshuram Jayanti celebration at Tilak Maidan in Vasco on Sunday night addressed a press conference, distancing themselves from the controversy surrounding derogatory remarks made against St Francis Xavier during the programme and issuing a public apology over the incident.
Clarifying their stand, organiser Parshuram Shetye stated that the comments made by speaker Gautam Khattar were “unfortunate” and unacceptable, and said the organisers do not endorse or agree with the statements in any manner. He added that the organisers immediately intervened and stopped the speaker as soon as the objectionable remarks were made on stage.
Shetye said the incident had come as a complete shock to the organisers as well as those present on the dais, including dignitaries, as there was no prior indication of what the speaker intended to say. “Neither the organisers nor anyone present on stage had any prior knowledge and the statements were unexpected . The moment it came up , the speaker was asked to stop immediately,” he said.
Expressing regret, the organisers tendered an apology to members of the Christian community and all those hurt by the remarks, stating that hurting religious sentiments was never the intention of the event. They stressed that the programme was organised to celebrate Parshuram Jayanti in a spirit of unity and cultural harmony.
Highlighting Goa’s long-standing tradition of peaceful coexistence, Shetye said the state has always been a place where Hindus, Christians and Muslims live together in communal harmony, and any attempt to disturb this balance must be condemned.
The organisers reiterated their commitment to maintaining peace and appealed to the public not to allow the incident to create divisions.
