Don Bosco's statue desecrated in Guwahati, Assam
TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Guwahati: Four memberss of Assam unit of BJP, including a municipal
councillor of Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) were arrested on
Saturday morning on charges of desecrating a statue of St John Bosco
which was supposed to be installed in the city.
Earlier, a group of miscreants vandalized the statue and threw it into
river Brahmaputra. Akhil Bharatya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) also
opposed in the installation of Bosco statue which was to be installed
during the 200th birth anniversary celebration of the saint.
Local media reported that miscreants shouted slogans 'Bharat Mata Ki
Jai, Vande Mataram' and broke the statue of Don Bosco which was
supposed to be inaugurated by Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi.
This has created sharp reactions from different sections of the society.
Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi condemned the incident. In a
statement, the CM said that the contribution of the saint towards the
uplift of education must be appreciated.
The Assam State Commission for Minorities on Saturday has sought a
detailed report from the government on the vandalism and desecration
of the statue of Don Bosco.
"It is shocking and painful. Such acts of destructive misadventures
will harm and damage our secular society," said a statement from the
minorities' panel.
Many in the city have expressed concern at the deterioration of
'secularism' in the country. Prasanta Rajguru, editor of popular
Assamese daily 'Amar Asom' said that it was a shocking incident. "Of
late we have witnessed a tendency to insult the concept of
'secularism'. It's an unfortunate incident...The country is in a point
where secularism is under threat," Rajguri wrote in a column.
The people in general have also condemned the action of the
miscreants. "ABVP protested against installation of Don Bosco statue,
goons demolished the statue and threw it in to Brahmaputra. There are
scores of Don Bosco schools and hundreds of other missionary schools
in Assam. These schools are literally backbone of the nation.
Missionary schools have brought revolution in education sector in
India. Don Bosco is one of the symbols of that revolution. Why should
anyone have problem if his statue is installed in Guwahati?" asked
Aman Wadud, a youth activist and an advocate at Gauhati High Court.
He pointed out that interestingly goons chanted 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'
while demolishing the statue, in the process they also pelted stone at
CRPF jawans injuring two. "They pelted stone at Jawans who protect
'Bharat Mata' and demolish statue of a symbol who builds 'Bharat Mata'
who are literally the backbone of 'Bharat Mata'," Wadud added.
The protesters accused the state government of overlooking the
patriotic sentiments of the people of the state by giving the go-ahead
for installation of a person's statue who 'had no personal
contribution for Assam'.
"It's a sad and unfortunate incident. Some groups were incited by
people with vested interests. Don Bosco's contribution to Assamese
society is known to all," said Sebastian Matthew, rector and principal
of Don Bosco School.
The BJP leaders, however, denied the charge and shouted slogans in
front of Bharalu police station on Saturday evening where its four
arrested members were lodged.
"We need to condemn such incidents which should not have a place in a
secular society like Assam where all religions have co-existed
peacefully since time immemorial. I think the riverfront has enough
space for every personality irrespective of religious affiliations
whose contributions towards Assamese society have been immense and
noteworthy," said Bobbeeta Sharma, a spokesperson of the Congress
party.
Good use of the word 'miscreants' to describe those who desecrated the statue of Don Bosco.
The Don Bosco schools are described as the Backbone of the Nation. Christ have mercy on us. The main reason the goons who did this even have an political opinion is due to the missionary work of the Don Bosco schools in that region. :-X
vile filth
Where is this place?
a godless forsaken wasteland. they haven't changed since they speared St Thomas.
Quote from: Arun on August 10, 2015, 04:36:26 PM
a godless forsaken wasteland. they haven't changed since they speared St Thomas.
A very succinct comment!
In previous post you have also made comments on the Syro-Malabaris/Malankaris of India. Perhaps you are aware that the uniate branches of this mob are a force to be reckoned in the Catholic Church in India?. Many Catholic dioceses in north and north eastern India are run by these people. But whenever these uniate Syros form a reasonable part of a Latin Rite diocese they usually demand an Eparchy of their own.
They are lucky that the only thing destroyed was the statue.
In the last year, we've had mass said by two different Indians (Tamils) in my parish. A quick check of Wiki says there are 19.9 Catholics in India. Not all Indians are godless.
Godless, all of them. Worshiping multiple "gods" and engaging in PROVEN devil worship causes mental illness. All Hindus are possessed by Satan.
Quote from: red solo cup on August 19, 2015, 05:39:08 AM
In the last year, we've had mass said by two different Indians (Tamils) in my parish. A quick check of Wiki says there are 19.9 Catholics in India. Not all Indians are godless.
19.9 - that's less than twenty. and how do you get .9 of a person btw?
Quote from: Arun on August 19, 2015, 04:00:56 PM
Quote from: red solo cup on August 19, 2015, 05:39:08 AM
In the last year, we've had mass said by two different Indians (Tamils) in my parish. A quick check of Wiki says there are 19.9 Catholics in India. Not all Indians are godless.
19.9 - that's less than twenty. and how do you get .9 of a person btw?
Ahem, million. 19.9 million souls. As compared to German's 24 million. Guess who will have a much disproportionate impact on the upcoming synod.
Millions I suppose.
Quote from: Prayerful on August 19, 2015, 04:25:07 PM
Millions I suppose.
19.1 million in a population of 1.4 billion. The Catholic Hierarchy of India is prone to emphasise the social good it does, rather than it's religious activities. It is not unheard of for it to also try and emphasise that it is not a threat to "anyone", as it's population is actually
declining.The people who promote Our Lord in India, in season and out, are the evangelicals.
As in most of the world, the hierarchy is the primary problem. This NGO Catholicism is a blight.
Quote from: red solo cup on August 19, 2015, 05:39:08 AM
In the last year, we've had mass said by two different Indians (Tamils) in my parish.
Me too! Small world, huh? And these two Indian priests who visited my parish actually went through school and seminary together. Their Catholic village in India had had something like a hundred vocations to the priesthood and religious life. 😄
i would be surprised to be shown a single true believer out of the 1.4 billion wallowing there. 19 million nominal Catholics doesn't say much.
Quote from: Bernadette on August 19, 2015, 08:58:45 PM
Quote from: red solo cup on August 19, 2015, 05:39:08 AM
In the last year, we've had mass said by two different Indians (Tamils) in my parish.
Me too! Small world, huh? And these two Indian priests who visited my parish actually went through school and seminary together. Their Catholic village in India had had something like a hundred vocations to the priesthood and religious life. 😄
Priests in America and the West earn 20 times the amount that their Indian counterparts do. The same is the case for Mass stipends. Don't be surprised if a popular "hymn" of the Indian religious community is: " I wanna be in America" - popularized years ago by Trini Lopez
Quote from: Mattock on August 19, 2015, 08:58:01 PM
As in most of the world, the hierarchy is the primary problem. This NGO Catholicism is a blight.
That's a very apt description - " NGO Catholicism" !
Many years ago I offered a nun who was running some sort of center for older teenagers and young adults - all females - some holy cards for distribution among the inmates. She backed off in horror! They were all non-Catholics, you see, and this would not go down well with them!
Here you had an institution, funded by a diocese in Europe, giving vocational training, with stipends, to non-Catholics!
Quote from: Mattock on August 19, 2015, 04:24:53 PM
Quote from: Arun on August 19, 2015, 04:00:56 PM
Quote from: red solo cup on August 19, 2015, 05:39:08 AM
In the last year, we've had mass said by two different Indians (Tamils) in my parish. A quick check of Wiki says there are 19.9 Catholics in India. Not all Indians are godless.
19.9 - that's less than twenty. and how do you get .9 of a person btw?
Ahem, million. 19.9 million souls. As compared to German's 24 million. Guess who will have a much disproportionate impact on the upcoming synod.
Yes million. Thank you.
Quote from: Bernadette on August 19, 2015, 08:58:45 PM
Quote from: red solo cup on August 19, 2015, 05:39:08 AM
In the last year, we've had mass said by two different Indians (Tamils) in my parish.
Me too! Small world, huh? And these two Indian priests who visited my parish actually went through school and seminary together. Their Catholic village in India had had something like a hundred vocations to the priesthood and religious life. 😄
We actually have three Tamils. All from the same village. But his English is so bad he doesn't say mass.
This last Sunday, our priest was from Uganda. He's called Fr Robert because no one can pronounce his last name.
Quote from: red solo cup on August 20, 2015, 05:47:12 AM
Quote from: Bernadette on August 19, 2015, 08:58:45 PM
Quote from: red solo cup on August 19, 2015, 05:39:08 AM
In the last year, we've had mass said by two different Indians (Tamils) in my parish.
Me too! Small world, huh? And these two Indian priests who visited my parish actually went through school and seminary together. Their Catholic village in India had had something like a hundred vocations to the priesthood and religious life. 😄
We actually have three Tamils. All from the same village. But his English is so bad he doesn't say mass.
This last Sunday, our priest was from Uganda. He's called Fr Robert because no one can pronounce his last name.
When I visited my father in Southern California, the priest was from Africa. Preached an excellent homily.
The Salesians of Don Bosco have in Ireland a single novice, as far as I know. He had, like any UK novice, to go to the US for much of their formation as they don't have enough locally to train them properly. Sad. They make a good effort.
Quote from: Bernadette on August 20, 2015, 09:58:02 AM
Quote from: red solo cup on August 20, 2015, 05:47:12 AM
Quote from: Bernadette on August 19, 2015, 08:58:45 PM
Quote from: red solo cup on August 19, 2015, 05:39:08 AM
In the last year, we've had mass said by two different Indians (Tamils) in my parish.
Me too! Small world, huh? And these two Indian priests who visited my parish actually went through school and seminary together. Their Catholic village in India had had something like a hundred vocations to the priesthood and religious life. 😄
We actually have three Tamils. All from the same village. But his English is so bad he doesn't say mass.
This last Sunday, our priest was from Uganda. He's called Fr Robert because no one can pronounce his last name.
When I visited my father in Southern California, the priest was from Africa. Preached an excellent homily.
i'm tempted to post the tommy tiernan clip about australian priests vs african priests hahaha
Quote from: Arun on August 20, 2015, 02:56:29 PM
Quote from: Bernadette on August 20, 2015, 09:58:02 AM
Quote from: red solo cup on August 20, 2015, 05:47:12 AM
Quote from: Bernadette on August 19, 2015, 08:58:45 PM
Quote from: red solo cup on August 19, 2015, 05:39:08 AM
In the last year, we've had mass said by two different Indians (Tamils) in my parish.
Me too! Small world, huh? And these two Indian priests who visited my parish actually went through school and seminary together. Their Catholic village in India had had something like a hundred vocations to the priesthood and religious life. 😄
We actually have three Tamils. All from the same village. But his English is so bad he doesn't say mass.
This last Sunday, our priest was from Uganda. He's called Fr Robert because no one can pronounce his last name.
When I visited my father in Southern California, the priest was from Africa. Preached an excellent homily.
i'm tempted to post the tommy tiernan clip about australian priests vs african priests hahaha
"Zebedee that tax collecting you-know-what"!
A section of the Indian Catholic media reported that the Don Bosco statue desecration matter has been "resolved" How so?. Well it seems that the worldwide Don Bosco Bi-Centennial celebrations have officially come to an end, hence the statue issue has now no relevance.
Quote from: red solo cup on August 21, 2015, 06:04:50 AM
"Zebedee that tax collecting you-know-what"!
dammit lol, at Mass this morning when Father did the readings in English before his sermon he goes "Reading from the Gospel of St Luke" and i had to forcibly stop myself from grinning cos i was waiting for him to sayn "i like Luke..." ahahahaha