Srikant Barve ( Dec 5 ) quotes St. Francis Xavier as having stated that [ there would be better opportunities for the increase of our Holy Faith in the islands of Japan than anywhere in India because Japanese are simple and more responsive than
Indians , particularly ''the Bramanas '' who are more cunning and exploiting poor people ]. AM responds : Perhaps St. Francis Xavier did not find it easy in Goa for he left for the Far East after his short sojourn in Goa. But as far as ''cunning and exploiting Bramanas '', suffice it to say that the percentage of Catholic Brahmins vis a vis other Catholic Goans is quite on a higher side as compared to Hindu Brahmins vis a vis other Hindus in India.
