26th April 2025: We reported on the recent arrest of Hindu activist Gautam Khattar and his brother Madhav following his speech on St. Francis Xavier in Goa. Speaking to a Hindi news channel, India Speak Daily, Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati came out in support of the Khattar Brothers describing the actions of the Goa police as a grave injustice. Swamiji explained: “What he [Gautam Khattar] spoke on regarding St. Xavier is recorded history… St. Xavier promoted terror and violence to convert… It is wrong to arrest those who merely state historic facts.” The Swami outlined Xavier’s influence in the arrival of the Goan Inquisition: “Xavier wrote to the King of Portugal to establish the inquisition by which Hindus were dealt cruel punishments… this process lasted over 250 years.”
Reflecting on the silencing of Hindus in discussing the history of Hinduphobia in India and increasing curbs on freedom of speech: “If you want to praise… such a person [as Xavier]… nobody should stop you. But how can you object to someone discussing history… Can Hindus not talk about the injustices they experienced?” During the interview, Swamji also criticised the BJP, the ruling political party for both India’s Central and Goa’s state parliament. Highlighting the party’s ideological roots in Hindutva: “If you continue to support the oppression of Hindus, they will stop supporting you. You have come to power with Hindu votes and now you will harass Hindus?”
Swami Avimukteshwaranand’s speech is notable due to his position as one of the Shankaracharyas. Amongst the most senior and respected positions in Hindu Dharma, the four Shankaracharyas are responsible for safeguarding the interests of Hindu traditions and society operating from monastic institutions (Amnaya Peeths) located in the four cardinal points of the Hindu homeland. The head of the Badri-Jyotish Peeth in the Himalayan region, Swami Shri Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, is the Shankaracharya of the North. His counterparts are located at Dwarka (West), Sringeri (South) and Puri (East).