Loyola College apologises for 'objectionable' paintings on Hindu symbols
Chennai, Jan 21 : The well-known Loyola College here has issued an apology after a row erupted over some paintings at an expo in its campus which the BJP and other saffron outfits termed as desecration of Hindu symbols.
The Bharatiya Janata Party and some pro-Hindu organisations Monday strongly objected to the paintings which they said had portrayed the trishul, a symbol of Hinduism, and 'Bharat Mata', in an inappropriate manner.
They said the paintings at the two-day exhibition which concluded Sunday also depicted Prime Minister Narendra Modi in bad light.
Following the outrage, the college Monday issued the apology and said that offensive paintings, put up as part of a cultural event, were "immediately" removed.
While one of the exhibits featured the trishul in a painting related to violence against women, another suggested that Modi was a hegemonic and also likened him to a Hindu deity.
Following complaints by the BJP and Hindu outfits to the police against the paintings which they said also had a strong political undercurrent against the saffron party, the college said it respected all religions.
"We do not advocate or support anything that is tantamount to disturbing the peace and tranquility of the society," the college, an autonomous Catholic minority institution, said in a statement Monday.
The BJP state unit questioned if it was okay to target the majority faith.
"Why is there no condemnatory statements from any of the leaders here... Is hurting Hindu sentiments acceptable to you?," BJP Tamil Nadu unit president Tamilisai Soundararjan asked.
Had the paintings targeted some other groups, there would have been a hue and cry from leaders like Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief M K Stalin and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) general secretary Vaiko, she said.
Hindu Makkal Katchi (HMK) State General Secretary Rama Ravikumar demanded action against those who made the paintings that also mocked Central government schemes like Swachh Bharat as well as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Following the protests, the college clarified that it cherished the pluralistic values and ethos of the country.
The institution, which will complete a century in about six years said it was deeply pained, saddened and anguished that its venue for a cultural event "Veethi Virudhu Vizha," held on January 19 and 20 was 'misused'.
The college said its "illustrious and pluralistic campus was used for derogative exhibits against a particular religious group, social institution, political party and the country's leadership".
A statement from the college's Art and Literary Unit Coordinator, Kaleeswaran said that the offensive exhibits were removed immediately, the moment it was brought to their notice.
"We acknowledge our lapse and sincerely apologise for the insurmountable hurt this has caused," he said.
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UP: Fake IAS officer marries woman, flees with Rs 15 lakh dowry
Gorakhpur (UP) (PTI): A newly married man fled with the Rs 15 lakh given to him as dowry by the bride's family, and it came to light later that he was an alleged serial scammer, police said on Sunday.
The accused, identified as Pritam Kumar Nishad from Etawah, allegedly posed as an IAS officer to deceive the woman into marrying him. He is currently absconding with his sister, and a case has been filed against him for cheating, dowry harassment, and forgery, officials said.
According to the police, the woman's family claimed that they spent nearly Rs 30 lakh for the wedding that was solemnised on March 11.
The match was arranged through a matrimonial group, where the accused introduced himself as an IAS officer, sharing purported interview clips, office visuals, and photographs with politicians to gain the family's trust.
Despite initially claiming he would marry without dowry, the accused allegedly demanded Rs 15 lakh shortly before the engagement. The bride's family paid Rs 10 lakh in cash during the engagement and the remaining Rs 5 lakh on the wedding day, the police said.
The fraud came to light on Saturday after the woman reached Etawah, and a wedding attendee informed the family that the accused was not a civil servant. When her relatives visited the address provided by him, they found her in a small rented room, while the accused and his sister had fled, the police added.
The woman has also alleged that the accused planned to take her to Goa and sell her, and accused him of inappropriate behaviour.
The police suspect that the accused may have been involved in multiple such marriages in the past. Based on a complaint lodged at the cantonment police station, an FIR was registered on Saturday evening.
Senior Superintendent of Police Dr Kaustubh said efforts are underway to arrest the accused.
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