<p>Demands for ban seem to be increasing in India with the Catholic church now wanting the Centre to ban the play ‘Agnes of God’ across the country, saying it mocks their beliefs.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) shot off a letter to Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who also holds Information and Broadcasting portfolio.<br /><br />In his letter, CBCI president Cardinal Baselios Cleemis has said the play, written by John Pielmeier, “hurts religious sentiments of millions of Christians”. <br /><br />The play, loosely based on an incident in the suburbs of New York in the early 1980s, tells the “story” of a nun who gives birth and insists that the child was the result of virgin conception. <br /><br />The film adaptation, which opened to mixed reviews when released in 1985, got three Oscar nominations. <br /><br />The demand for banning the play, which is scheduled to stage its first show in Mumbai on October 4 and later in Hyderabad and Kerala, comes at a time when there are voices against the “ban culture” following demands for banning beef and cow slaughter on ground of religious sentiments and prohibition of screening of documentaries like ‘India’s Daughter’.<br /><br />The cardinal said the “misinterpretation” of their religious belief and “wrong portrayal” of clergy who are committed to a life of celibacy and a “mockery” of nuns who are “working selflessly” will “deeply hurt” their sentiments”. <br /><br />He said the clergy and nuns are “always made easy targets, for no fear of retaliation and taken for granted for their peace loving nature.”<br /><br />He went on to warn that the “greater danger” in allowing this “highly objectionable” play to be staged is that it will be an “encouragement for such vicious minds” to come out with similar plays, based on other religions. <br /><br />The “reaction need not be always peaceful and tolerant, leading to destroying the religious harmony,” he added.<br /><br />He wanted Singh to give necessary instructions to chief ministers of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Kerala to ban the play, pending a study of the various aspects involved in this “crucial and sensitive issue”. <br /></p>
<p>Demands for ban seem to be increasing in India with the Catholic church now wanting the Centre to ban the play ‘Agnes of God’ across the country, saying it mocks their beliefs.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) shot off a letter to Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who also holds Information and Broadcasting portfolio.<br /><br />In his letter, CBCI president Cardinal Baselios Cleemis has said the play, written by John Pielmeier, “hurts religious sentiments of millions of Christians”. <br /><br />The play, loosely based on an incident in the suburbs of New York in the early 1980s, tells the “story” of a nun who gives birth and insists that the child was the result of virgin conception. <br /><br />The film adaptation, which opened to mixed reviews when released in 1985, got three Oscar nominations. <br /><br />The demand for banning the play, which is scheduled to stage its first show in Mumbai on October 4 and later in Hyderabad and Kerala, comes at a time when there are voices against the “ban culture” following demands for banning beef and cow slaughter on ground of religious sentiments and prohibition of screening of documentaries like ‘India’s Daughter’.<br /><br />The cardinal said the “misinterpretation” of their religious belief and “wrong portrayal” of clergy who are committed to a life of celibacy and a “mockery” of nuns who are “working selflessly” will “deeply hurt” their sentiments”. <br /><br />He said the clergy and nuns are “always made easy targets, for no fear of retaliation and taken for granted for their peace loving nature.”<br /><br />He went on to warn that the “greater danger” in allowing this “highly objectionable” play to be staged is that it will be an “encouragement for such vicious minds” to come out with similar plays, based on other religions. <br /><br />The “reaction need not be always peaceful and tolerant, leading to destroying the religious harmony,” he added.<br /><br />He wanted Singh to give necessary instructions to chief ministers of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Kerala to ban the play, pending a study of the various aspects involved in this “crucial and sensitive issue”. <br /></p>
