I confess at the start: I have no religion. Not since fifteen. Maybe if I do it is an a la carte religion - I take what is good in all religions.
God or no-God is one. It is the string which holds all the coconuts together. Otherwise things fall apart. The waves of communal disharmony are spreading in different parts of India. I can only hope along with other Goans the tsunami will not arrive at our shores and destroy our communal harmony. The road to truth is not one and our Indian tradition has upheld this principle for millennia. For this reason the world thinks of India as a spiritual country despite what is going on today. I propose rather than have a debate related to the Patron Saint of Goa why not change one word - replace Goa with Goans! Every community can have their own Patron Saint. All people who live in Goa are Goans including some whose ancestors are from beyond the borders of Goa can be included and their saints issued a postal address. What is the problem? Revolutionary Goans will also be kept in check as they will not object to the sons and daughters of the soil - the indigenous people of Goa - each getting their own patron saint. Good news, this. No need to check addhaar card and driving license. Give the Idea of Goa a chance!