Team Herald
MARGAO: A group of Goan activists has launched an online petition challenging the practice of reserving front-row seats for politicians and bureaucrats at the upcoming Exposition of St Francis Xavier’s Sacred Relics.
The decennial event is scheduled to take place at Sé Cathedral in Old Goa from November 21, 2024, to January 5, 2025.
The petition initiated under the banner ‘Goans Equality’, calls on the Cardinal of Goa to eliminate preferential seating arrangements for VVIPs during the religious gathering. The organisers argue that such practices compromise the sanctity of religious events and violate the principle of equality before God.
The petitioners are Saturnino Rodrigues from Per Seraulim , Jorson Fernandes from Cansaulim, Wilson Fernandes from Benaulim, Nazareth Fernandes from Palolem, Rahul Silva from Colva , Betty Rodrigues from Seraulim Tina Rebello from Margao, Domrod alias Domingos Rodrigues from Colva, Croydon Madeira from Margao and Jocelyn and Bosco Mascarenhas from Curchorem.
“There should be no reservation of seats for politicians and bureaucrats. Let all the faithful be equal in front of God as mentioned in our Holy Bible,” stated the petition.
The petitioners expressed concern over what they describe as ‘growing intrusion’ from certain groups and the silence of elected representatives on these matters. They emphasised that the Exposition, which attracts millions of devotees, should remain a purely spiritual celebration rather than a platform for political visibility.
The petition also calls for implementing stricter rules to prevent political interference in religious events, suggesting that recent years have seen an increase in such interventions. The petitioners argue that the practice of reserving front-row seats for MLAs and politicians undermines the event’s religious significance.
The group is now seeking widespread support from the Goan community, urging people to sign and share the petition to preserve what they term as ‘religious freedom and integrity’ during the Exposition.