What do you think Ram? And what do you think about the VHP cutting -up/ smearing/burning MF Hussain paintings in a museum with images of Hindu goddesses?
While you are at it, what do you also think of them grievously HURT Mahapuruxia feelings produced by the treading of sacred grounds by a goru-kohwa "goria"(:-)--no disrespect meant here to my Muslim friends from this 'goru-khowa goxain') of a Muslim Congress Minister who entered a Barpeta Namghar recently? If I remember correctly, there was a huge outcry of the faithful ( heh-heh!--Xonkordeu Goxain must have taken turn or two in his heavenly abode on this) for an apology. But I tell you, these bidness-challenged Kharkhowas are an useless lot . They have no clue. I would have settled for nothing less than a huge monetary settlement. c-da :-). At 9:53 AM -0500 9/12/05, Ram Sarangapani wrote: >This case brings us back into the question of freedom of expression. >Has the poet >(Sunil Gangopadhyay), overused his liberties? > >It will be interesting to hear what netters have to say regarding this >case, and in the the larger context if India's democracy is headed in >the right direction? > >__________________________________________________________________ >Trial of poet for 'defiling idol' >By Subir Bhaumik >BBC News, Calcutta > >An Indian court has ordered a leading Bengali poet to stand trial on >charges of defiling a Hindu goddess. >The court in India's West Bengal state was ruling on a lawsuit filed >against Sunil Gangopadhyay by an ex-policeman. > >In an article in Bengal's biggest newspaper this year, Mr Gangopadhyay >was quoted as saying he was "sexually aroused" by an idol of >Saraswati. > >Retired policeman Bhibhuti Bhusan Nandy filed a lawsuit saying the >comments had hurt his religious sentiments. > >Additional chief judicial magistrate in Calcutta's Alipore court, >Manjit Singh, ordered Mr Gangopadhyay to appear in court on 3 >December. > >The court also ordered legal proceedings against three others - Aveek >Kumar Sarkar, editor of the Anandabazar Patrika newspaper, its >publisher Bijit Kumar Basu, and chief executive Subir Mitra. > >'Zealots' > >Mr Gangopadhyay, 71, was quoted in Anandabazar as saying he had kissed >an idol of Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of learning, to satisfy his >desire. > > >Mr Nandy, who has retired as the chief of the paramilitary >Indo-Tibetan Border Police, filed a formal complaint with the police >against the author. > >"I am delighted the court has started appropriate legal proceedings," >Mr Nandy said. > >Mr Gangopadhyay told the BBC on Monday that he was not taking the case >seriously. > >"Some religious zealots are playing this up - mine was a light-hearted >remark on Goddess Saraswati. Her idol did not evoke devotion in me >when I was young. I found her very attractive and that is what I >said," said Mr Gangopadhyay. > >"In Bengal, Hindus are known to crack jokes at the expense of their >gods and goddesses and that's what I did," he said. > >"I have done no wrong but the zealots are trying to attack me because >I am so critical of them. I am not afraid of them - as a writer I have >the freedom to say such things and I and my publisher will fight it >out in court." > >Controversy Mr Gangopadhyay is West Bengal's best known living poet >and novelist with more than 250 books to his name. > >But he is no stranger to controversy. > >Two years ago, there were protests outside a newspaper office in >Calcutta after he wrote about the sex life of Indian spiritual leader, >Ramakrishna Paramhansa. > >He also described Kali, the Hindu goddess of power, as a "tribal >whore", triggering protests by Santhal tribes people and Hindus. > >Last year, the Bangladesh government banned an issue of an Indian >magazine which carried a story by Mr Gangopadhyay in which he wrote >about the sex life of the Prophet Mohammad. > >_______________________________________________ >assam mailing list >[email protected] >http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org _______________________________________________ assam mailing list [email protected] http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
