Poster on Mother blessing kid irks activists

The activists of Bajarang Dal staged a protest before Stella Maris Church in Kalmady on Wednesday raising objections against the poster put up by the Church authorities, projecting Mother Mary of Velankanni blessing a kid.

The poster was put up as a part of the silver jubilee celebrations to commemorate the installation of Mother Velankanni’s statue in Stella Maris Church. The poster depicts the story of Mother Velankanni blessing a Brahmin kid who holds the clay pot. The poster shows the boy being blessed by Mother Mary and the boy offering her, a pot of milk.

The Bajarang Dal activists gathered before the Church, shouted slogans against the
Parish Priest and Church authorities.

They demanded immediate removal of the poster. The activists urged for apology from the Church authorities for putting up the poster.

They alleged that the poster intentionally insults the Brahmin community.
Bajarang Dal Town Coordinator Anil Bangera said that the Church authorities should apologise and remove the poster immediately.

Church Administrative Board Vice President Louis Lobo briefed the gatherers the story that was displayed in the poster. He categorically stated that there was no intention to hurt or insult any community people. The story narrated in the poster reveals the Mother’s blessing and love to a kid, he added.

The activists were not convinced and repeatedly demanded the Church Parish Priest to come out and apologise.

The police who intervened and tried to control the agitating activists had a set back as the mob was uncontrollable.

DySP Parbhudev Mane, who arrived at the spot, assured removal of the poster. The agitators were adamant over Fr Alban D’Souza’s apology.

Church Parish Priest Fr Alban D’Souza said that there was no ill intention to hurt the religious sentiments of Brahmin or Hindu community. He said he will apologise if at all the religious sentiments of the Brahmins are hurt, following which, the poster was removed immediately and the situation came back to normalcy.