Goa is the Most Progressive State in Indian Union

The state of Goa was under rule of the Portuguese for a good part of 300 years. The effect of Portuguese rule was both good and bad. However their rule was different from English rule as the Portuguese integrated their overseas territories with the mother country. They also enforced a form of the inquisition and about 30% of the Goans converted to Christianity.

The Portuguese did some far reaching social engineering and now in hindsight we can see that what they enforced was good.  The Portuguese abolished Muslim and Hindu personal law and enforced a uniform civil and marriage code. Muslims had to accept that obnoxious provisions like Triple Talaq and Multiple marriages were banned.  Muslims had to obey the civil code which gave equal rights to Muslim women. One wishes the British had enforced such a code in India and helped the Muslims get out of the ghetto of obscurantism.

Goa also became more progressive as the Portuguese brought in emancipation of women and gave them equal rights.  Thus a visit to Goa will show women moving about freely and most girls are advanced in dress and thought.  This state of affairs is to the credit of the Portuguese who ruled Goa. One only wishes the rest of India had taken aleaf from the Portuguese rule in Goa.