‘Important’ documents about Goa in Portugal, will approach MEA: Archives Ministe

Panaji, June 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) Many secrets about Portuguese rule of Goa will tumble out from "important" documents sought by the state government from Lisbon, Minister for Archives and Archaeology Subhash Phaldesai said on Friday, adding that in exchange, the state government was willing to exchange any documents which were sought by the Portuguese.

Phaldesai also said that the state government would approach the Union Ministry for External Affairs to obtain the documents.

"There are very good important documents. Many of our secrets about what was happening during the Portuguese era (will be
revealed)," Phaldesai said.

"The Chief Minister made an announcement the other day that very important documents of Goa are lying in Portuguese custody. Those important documents pertaining to Goa are in Lisbon. They are very important documents for us. We want those Portuguese documents here," Phaldesai said.

On June 6, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, on the occasion of the coronation anniversary celebrations of Maratha ruler Shivaji, had said that he would try to source documents from Portuguese government related to the colonial history of Goa.

Phaldesai on Friday said that the documents could be sourced by the External Affairs Ministry, through the provisions in the bilateral ties shared by India and Portugal.

"We are trying," Phaldesai said.

"This is the correspondence made with Lisbon (by Portuguese rulers of Goa) to stall Shivaji Maharaj... There are many documents which will reveal the truth," Phaldesai said, adding that the government would also benefit by obtaining property records of the era in order to ascertain who owned which properties during the colonial era.

"The Portuguese government has nothing to lose from their side. It is our own property, it should come to us. Whatever we have belonging to Portugal, we may have to give that. It is an exchange," Phaldesai also said.

Source: IANS