'Goa's Christian population falling, Muslim numbers rising': Governor Sreedharan Pillai sparks row

P S Sreedharan Pillai

Goa Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai sparked controversy with his remarks about the changing religious demographics in Goa.

Speaking at a church event in Ernakulam on Saturday, Pillai said that the Christian population in Goa has decreased from 36% to 25%, while the Muslim population has risen from 3% to 12%. He claimed to have discussed this trend with a senior clergyman and suggested conducting a positive study on the matter.

However, Pillai later clarified his comments at another event on Sunday, saying that he was not addressing religious population ratios specifically. Instead, he said he was referring to a general decline in the Christian population, which had been around 35% at the time of Goa's liberation, but has reportedly dropped to 26% or even lower.

He claimed to have framed his statement within the context of "brain drain" saying that migration and other factors could be influencing these demographic shifts.