The following news report appeared on Herald - July 28, 2010
3 paintings of naked deities kick up row
Herald Reporter, Panjim- July 27
Three paintings showing two naked Hindu deities making merry with nude women
were withdrawn from an exhibition at Xavier Research Institute at Porvorim.
Hindu Janjagruti Samiti [HJS] held a protest, which forced the institution to
withdraw the paintings depicting naked Lord Krishna and Lard Shiva reveling
with unclothed women.
Inspector Devendra Gad informed that the exhibition was withdrawn completely
following a protest by the Hindu J-right wing members.
HJS spokesperson Nilkanth Chodankar filed a complaint with the Porvorim Police
Station demanding withdrawal of paintings and action against painter - Dr. Jose
Pereira.
'We reached the exhibition hall immediately after receiving a formal complaint.
The organizers told us that they did not want any communal conflict, hence
withdrew the paintings," Gad told reporters.
Chodankar meanwhile has also written to the Chief Minister Digamber Kamat, Home
Minister Ravi Naik and Director General of Police Bhim Sain Bassi about the
paintings.
One may recollect, HJS had also launched protests against painter MF Hussain
and artist Subodh Kerkar, as these artists too depicted Hindu deities in
various forms.
Kerkar's installations showing Lord Ganesh in controversial positions invited
anguish from Hindu groups, last year. He also faced apparent threats and
police complaint under Section 149 of IPC which deals with hurting religious
sentiments.
REPORT:
Today, 29 July, 2010, I and my colleague Adv. Antonio Lobo visited Xavier
Research Institute to take part in the Dr. Jose Pereira recital of ancient
Khell tiatr and the workshop on ancient art & culture in the Konkani language.
Dr. Jose Pereira, in spite of his age and affliction of Parkinson's diseases
was excellent at the recital of the ancient khell tiatr which got him a
vociferous applause. This was followed by questions taken by Dr. Jose Pereira
and Prof. Rafael Fernandes from the audience which totalled approximately
around 50 +
As the function came to a close, we were informed about the delegation from the
HJS waiting to accost Dr. Jose Pereira. At that point we came to know about the
anonymous phone calls received by the Xavier Research Institute threatening
violence and even cutting off of Dr. Jose Pereira's hands as well as of
decapitating him.
It is here that we both decided to hang on until the show-down was over. We
also requested the audience to sit-in while the HJS delegation quizzed Dr. Jose
Pereira by not leaving him alone with the unruly crowd. The group was told to
put their queries to Dr. Jose Pereira while they were recorded and watched by
the audience, which they did not anticipate. Gauging the hostile atmosphere,
the group cowed-down to asking certain clarifications from Dr. Jose Pereira in
a decent manner citing their hurt sentiments and also thanking the authorities
of the Institute and Dr. Jose Pereira for withdrawing the 3 paintings earlier.
They listed 6 more pictures which according to them were sensitive and wanted
them removed too. When they questioned Dr. Pereira as to how he could depict
Lord Krishna as a kid lover, Dr. Jose relapsed into authoritative Sanskrit
recital which not only took us by surprise but also the HJS group. It is then
that the leader of the group (lady in white sari an
d holding the microphone) admitted that she was not learned at all but felt
that the scriptures are wrongly interpreted. Professor Rafael explained that
there is no such thing as singular interpretation in literature and that
multiple interpretations give colour and vigour to the literature etc which
strikes a healthy balance rather that a monotonous dictum or words to that
effect.
Fr. Delio Mendonca appreciated the group's initiative to seek dialogue and
peaceful resolution of the problem and asked the group to put in writing their
further demands and that those shall be looked into subsequently. Adv. Antonio
Lobo, addressing the group made very clear that the threat perception shall
not be tolerated and democratic dialogue should be sought to resolve any and
all problems and misunderstandings. That the group has made a mistake by
publishing the phone numbers of the Xavier Research Institute so that the
Institute may be subjected to anonymous phone threats, which rained
through-out last 24 hours. That if they were civilized, they should have
published their own phone numbers as well so that the pro-exhibitionists could
phone in and identify the members of the HJS and their difficulties.
The audience dispersed only when the group had left the Institute.
A very strong signal has been sent to this unruly keepers of morals and the so
called religious watch-dogs that they shall not be able to threaten their way
into the society through goondagiri, and that they will have to resort to
civility and transparent social norms. Adv Lobo however, did start his
interaction with the group in Konkani but relapsed into the english language.
He repented (later) of having unconsciously done that as the non-goan status of
the group would have been identified, thereby warning them that they cannot
come from outside Goa and tell Goans what to do and how to do things.
It is all the more encouraging to report that Frederick Noronha very strongly
questioned the actions of Sanatan Saunsta to which the group denied that they
had anything to do with that group. At the end of it all, we felt that Fr.
Delio Mendonca was much relieved to see many people being there to support him
and the Institute in this marvelous venture and against persistent and
unwarranted goondagiri.
Cheers
floriano
goasuraj
9890470896
www.goasu-raj.org for expanded scrolling party presentation on the home page.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It is not ENOUGH that GOOD, HONEST citizens contest elections.
It is not ENOUGH that GOOD, HONEST citizen voters elect good, honest
representatives.
GOA urgently needs 'GOOD, HONEST, DISCIPLINED SYSTEM of GOVERNANCE'.
Wherein, even a dishonest person is forced to be good, honest n disciplined, or
to QUIT.
Only through PPS can such 'good, honest n disciplined system of governance' be
identified and accepted.
PPS GOA =PEOPLE for POLITICAL SANITY = PEOPLE'S POWER SYSTEM
for a date in 2012
Display the 'PPS' sticker on your vehicle today, to reject political madness
tomorrow.
* * *
UK STOCKS EXHAUSTED! After a community-supported launch at
Croydon, Selma Carvalho's *Into the Diaspora Wilderness* is
available at Broadways Book Centre, Panjim [Ph +91-9822488564]
Price (in Goa only) Rs 295. Ask a friend to pick up a copy.
Details of the book http://selmacarvalho.squarespace.com/
* * *
