To denounce deforestation, Peruvian actor marries tree
Santo Domingo, Aug 20 : Peruvian actor Richard Torres has "married" a tree in the Dominican Republic capital to draw attention to the indiscriminate felling of forests.
In the curious ceremony on Sunday in the Ciudad Colonial neighbourhood here Torres placed a ring on the tree and told a person who acted as a judge that he accepted the marriage.
"We have come to Santo Domingo to perform our wedding number 17 and we will not stop until we establish a new Guinness record, with 100 ceremonies like this," the actor told EFE.
The small ritual attracted dozens of people in the Columbus Park, a few meters away from the Cathedral of Santo Domingo. Torres was assisted by a couple of Dominican actors, who served as best man and bridesmaid of the wedding.
Although admitting that the project is very expensive, the actor said he will continue with his plan to make at least five weddings a year in different countries and cities.
Before Santo Domingo, Torres wedded to a tree in his native Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Mexico, Chile, Guatemala, Cuba and Bolivia, among other countries.
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Catholic Bishops' body slams Bhagwat's remarks
New Delhi: The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India on Thursday slammed RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat for his reported remark that Pranab Mukherjee, when he was President, had said tribals would turn "anti-national" if there is no "ghar wapsi"Catholic Bishops.'
In a statement issued here, CBCI, a body of Catholic Bishops, referred to reports which said Bhagwat, at an event on Monday, claimed that Mukherjee, while he was President had appreciated ghar wapsi and told him that had it not been for the Sangh's work on reconversion, a section of Adivasis would have turned "anti-national".The CBCI called the report "shocking".
"Fabricated personal conversation being attributed to a former president of India and its posthumous publication with the vested interest of an organization with questionable credibility raises a grave issue of national importance," the CBCI claimed.
"Is it not the violent ghar wapsi program of VHP and other similar organizations, curtailing the exercise of freedom of conscience of economically deprived tribals, the real anti-national activity?" it asked.
'Ghar wapsi' is a term used by the RSS and affiliated organisations to refer to reconversion of Muslims and Christians to Hinduism, based on the belief that they were originally Hindus before converting to other religions.
The CBCI also questioned why Bhagwat did not speak about it while Mukherjee was alive.
"We, the 2.3 percent of Indian citizens who are Christians feel extremely hurt by such manipulated and motivated propaganda unleashed," it said.
In a post on X following the statement issued by CBCI, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien said, "Speak up. This is a start!"
"Bishops body have issued a statement condemning remarks made by Dr Mohan Bhagwat and RSS for defaming the Christian community," he said.
O'Brien added that they should ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi more questions, including why Christmas Day has been turned into "Good Governance Day".
The TMC leader, in a blogpost earlier this month, had said "hard questions" must be asked to the government with regards to the Christian community, including why the FCRA has been 'weaponised', and why has Manipur been 'ignored'.
