Veteran Writer and politician Vishnu Wagh passes away

Vishnu Wagh (53), the veteran writer and former deputy speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly, has passed away in Panaji on February 14, 2019. Wagh was a member of the Goa Legislative Assembly from St Andre constituency between 2012 and 2017. He was the chairman of the state-run Goa Kala Academy. He has written over 20 plays in Marathi, three sangeet nataks, 18 Konkani plays and 16 one-act plays. He has directed over 50 plays in Konkani and Marathi. Some of his critically-acclaimed plays include”Tuka Abhang Abhang”, “Suvari”, “Teen Poishancho Tiatro”, “Dharmashree”, and”Pedru Poddlo Baient”. He has also written six volumes of poetry. His book of Konkani poems titled ‘Sudhir Sukta’ has been embroiled in controversy since 2017 for its offensive language and content, and for portraying women in a bad light. The book questions Brahmins and has apparently stirred the volatile caste divide between Goa’s dominant Gaud Saraswat Brahmins and the majority Bahujan Goans.