Ex-RSS Goa chief wants Vasco to be renamed as Sambhaji Nagar

Panaji, June 7

Former state RSS chief Subhash Velingkar has demanded that the BJP governments at the Centre and state rename Goa's port town Vasco as Sambhaji Nagar.

Velingkar, who now heads the Hindu Raksha Maha Aghadi, took to facebook and said that BJP is in power at the state and Centre. Hence, without waiting for more time, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant should clean the 'taint' by renaming Vasco as Sambhaji Nagar.

According to Velingkar, Goa's port town Vasco da Gama, named after the 15th century Portuguese explorer, was once known as Sambhaji Nagar.

"Vasco da Gama was looter. Port in Vasco or municipality is not named after him, it is called Mormugao Port and Mormugao Municipality, (respectively)," he said.

However, he said, Sambhaji Maharaj fought against the Portuguese in 1686, who were forced to leave control over Salcete (Mormugao was part of Salcete then) subsequent to the attack of the former.

"Earlier the display boards of Vasco railway station, post office had been mentioned as Sambhaji Nagar. The process to rename Vasco was taking place, however it didn't come to reality," he said.

Velingkar said that the soldiers of Sambhaji Maharaj remained in Goa for almost 26 days and attacked the Portuguese. "This has historical importance and documentation is there, whereas Vasco Da Gama just looted people," he said.

Velingkar said that they had given a memorandum to the government in this regard and again it will be resubmitted to press for it.

Former MLA of Vasco and current Himachal Pradesh Governor Rajendra Arlekar had also earlier placed a similar demand.

While Vasco da Gama has been credited with discovering a new sea route to India in 1498, when he landed in Calicut, Sambhaji Maharaj is a Maratha hero with several ballads praising his fight against Muslim rulers of the Deccan region and Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.