The Pioneer, Bhubaneswar
December 27, 2010
Basant Rath | Nabarangpur
Some controversial greeting cards on Christmas created a huge outrage in Nabarangpur. The greeting card was misinterpreted by the Christian community and they resorted to huge protest and blockade on Saturday.
Local BJD MLA Manohar Randhari sent greeting cards to people of Christian community on Christmas. He had a noble intention indeed, but some vested interests played spoilsport and created trouble.
The printing press that printed the greeting card goofed up. It downloaded a controversial picture from Internet in which Jesus Christ was holding cigarette in one hand and a beer can in the other hand. When people noticed the picture, they got upset and the news spread like wildfire.
People from the minority community blocked the roads in the town. They were heavily armed and some of them were in inebriated condition. The police had a tough time to restore law and order in the town.
Later, MLA Randhari expressed regret for the incident and said that he never intended to hurt anyone's sentiments. He also decided to visit the churches to tender an apology. But at 12 pm some of the protesters opposed his entry in the church, they further demanded the arrest of MLA. The aggrieved protesters shouted slogans in filthy languages and abused the police. ADM, Narendra Pradhan, directed for clamping of Section 144 of CrPC to maintain peace in the locality, and district Superintendent of Police, Nitin Sekhar deployed four platoon of force in the town and in front of the church.
In the evening Jeypore MLA Rabi Narayan Nanda, district BJD president Bhudan Jagya Samiti chairman, Jayadev Parida, and other district party functionaries met at the Circuit House conference hall and said political parties should not be try to aggravate the issue.
Meanwhile, local MP and State Youth Congress president Pradip Majhi after a meeting said the party would hold peaceful demonstrations before the 10 blocks in the district and submit memorandums addressed to the Governor through the BDOs demanding arrest of the MLA. Among others, Kodiganga former MLA Sadan Nayak and district Youth Congress president Bhima Harijan were present. In another citizen committee meeting presided over by ADM Narendra Pradhan, in which SP Sekhar was present the Bishop of the church said he has forgiven the concerned person.
27 December 2010
Tension in Nabarangpur over blasphemous Xmas greeting
The Pioneer, Bhubaneswar
December 27, 2010
Basant Rath | Nabarangpur
Some controversial greeting cards on Christmas created a huge outrage in Nabarangpur. The greeting card was misinterpreted by the Christian community and they resorted to huge protest and blockade on Saturday.
Local BJD MLA Manohar Randhari sent greeting cards to people of Christian community on Christmas. He had a noble intention indeed, but some vested interests played spoilsport and created trouble.
The printing press that printed the greeting card goofed up. It downloaded a controversial picture from Internet in which Jesus Christ was holding cigarette in one hand and a beer can in the other hand. When people noticed the picture, they got upset and the news spread like wildfire.
People from the minority community blocked the roads in the town. They were heavily armed and some of them were in inebriated condition. The police had a tough time to restore law and order in the town.
Later, MLA Randhari expressed regret for the incident and said that he never intended to hurt anyone's sentiments. He also decided to visit the churches to tender an apology. But at 12 pm some of the protesters opposed his entry in the church, they further demanded the arrest of MLA. The aggrieved protesters shouted slogans in filthy languages and abused the police. ADM, Narendra Pradhan, directed for clamping of Section 144 of CrPC to maintain peace in the locality, and district Superintendent of Police, Nitin Sekhar deployed four platoon of force in the town and in front of the church.
In the evening Jeypore MLA Rabi Narayan Nanda, district BJD president Bhudan Jagya Samiti chairman, Jayadev Parida, and other district party functionaries met at the Circuit House conference hall and said political parties should not be try to aggravate the issue.
Meanwhile, local MP and State Youth Congress president Pradip Majhi after a meeting said the party would hold peaceful demonstrations before the 10 blocks in the district and submit memorandums addressed to the Governor through the BDOs demanding arrest of the MLA. Among others, Kodiganga former MLA Sadan Nayak and district Youth Congress president Bhima Harijan were present. In another citizen committee meeting presided over by ADM Narendra Pradhan, in which SP Sekhar was present the Bishop of the church said he has forgiven the concerned person.
