Church Holds the Key in Goa: Will Catholics Ditch BJP This Time?

Of 40 constituencies, 10 are predominantly Catholic. With a four-way fight in the state, who will they vote for?

Far from the crowded beaches, as one enters lush, mountainous South Goa, tall churches welcome you. Catholics are 28 percent of the state’s population, and most of them live in the southern part.

Out of 40 constituencies, 10 are dominated by Catholics. So, technically, it’s possible to get a majority for the BJP by excluding Catholics and polarising Hindu votes. However this time, there’s a 4-way fight and in North Goa, they are facing a tough challenge from an alliance of three of its former allies – the RSS, the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and the Shiv Sena.

BJP’s Relationship with Catholics

However, the alliance is marred by internal differences and is seen as having the narrow agenda of making Marathi language the medium of instruction in schools. Still, it will eat into BJP’s votes and in Goa’s tiny constituencies that average just 25,000 votes, a few hundred votes can turn victory into defeat.

So, the party will need the Catholics if it is to get re-elected. In 2012, Manohar Parrikar managed to stitch an unlikely alliance between the BJP and the Roman Catholic Church. Catholics, who had traditionally voted for the Congress, found an alternative in ‘pro-development’ Parrikar.

But the honeymoon ended after Narendra Modi’s rise in New Delhi. As pro-Hindutva voices got louder in Goa again, the Church grew more and more uncomfortable.

The first evidence was a public endorsement made by the parish priest of Taleigao, Fr Mariano Conceicao. During his Christmas eve mass, he openly asked his parishioners to cast their vote for the Congress candidate Jennifer Monserrate, wife of sacked Congress leader Babush Monserrate. He also asked the faithful to bring her party back to power with “a thumping majority”.

The Church “Guides” People on Voting

That the Church is political is an open secret. A few days after Conceicao’s endorsement, Archbishop-Patriarch Filipe Neri Ferrao, of Goa, reiterated at a public function that the Church in Goa will guide the people about voting.

Although the “guidelines” which are read out in churches do not mention names of candidates or political parties, a lot is left to be read between the lines. Many priests in local churches clearly endorse a candidate, if not a party, from the pulpit.

Which is why political parties meet these priests and try to win them over. Eyebrows were raised when Union ministers Manohar Parrikar and Nitin Gadkari, who is in-charge of Goa BJP, secretly met Fr Zeferino D’souza at a five-star hotel in Panaji a couple of days before Christmas. However, D’souza said the meeting was about “some issue related to the central government”.

Is AAP a Catholic Party in Goa?

Aam Aadmi Party is accused of being a Catholic party in Goa. Although it has fielded candidates across the state, it clearly focuses on Catholic areas.

It’s chief ministerial candidate is a Catholic. And Kejriwal famously sent a signal to Catholics by participating in the feast of St John by wearing a floral tiara.

So, when BJP leaders met a priest, AAP was quick to react. Party spokesperson Dr Oscar Rebello questioned why D’souza held a secret meeting,

Protocol should be followed by religious leaders when it comes to meeting politicians.

Despite being close to extremist Sikh elements in Punjab and Catholics in Goa, AAP claims it’s a secular party.

It is not true. We have 23 Hindu candidates and Arvind Kejriwal held 4 rallies in North Goa too. Thinking in terms of religion doesn’t fit in the culture of AAP.

Elvis Gomes, AAP’s CM candidate in Goa

Even Catholics Have a Caste-System!

Nobody talks about it, but Catholics in Goa too have a caste system. Just like how neo-Buddhists in Maharashtra still check the original Hindu caste before marriage, Catholics in Goa are aware of the Hindu castes of their ancestors.

Similar to Hindus, Catholics in Goa have a threefold caste system – Brahmins (former Saraswats), Charodas (former Kshatriyas) and Sudirs (former lower castes). Their names don’t disclose it, their skin colour doesn’t show it, they don’t have organisations based on these castes, yet they know who is who.

There is subtle anger against Hindu Saraswats as they are little in number but control the economy and religion. Similar is the condition of Saraswats who are now Christians. The AAP was smart in choosing Elvis Gomes as the CM candidate as he’s a Charodas Christian, who will have wider acceptability among Sudirs

What Next?

The Catholic vote in South Goa is expected to be split between the Congress and the AAP. Having lost most of Hindu North, Congress depends on South Goa, which also have pockets of Muslims, to retain its tally.

AAP is going door-to-door to woo them. BJP has also done its bit by giving government aid to 127 English schools run by the Church. BJP has chosen the Church over RSS in this issue and has jeopardised a section of Hindu-Marathi votes in the trade.

Catholics are necessary for the BJP if it wants to retain power, for Congress if it wants to stay relevant in Goa, and for the AAP to make its presence felt in the Assembly.