Tension is palpable in Khuti area of Ranchi after a catholic-run school displayed Lord Rama in jeans and Sita in salwar kameez while enacting a play, which has irked the rightist groups of the state.
Though the school administration has apologised to public and parents for the mistake, it does not seem to have made any impact on the persons championing the cause of Hindu society.
What is said to be the most objectionable thing was that Rama was presented as a drunkard and villain of Ramayana , with Ravana shown abusing and beating him with slippers. The audience of the play point out that it seemed the play was meant to lower the dignity of the Hindu god, which irked the few students and teachers of the schools.
The matter was later brought to the notice of Hindu rightist groups, who have called a one-day bandh of Khuti sub-division about 30 from Ranchi. "I was not aware about the theme of the play. If it would have been brought to my notice before enactment, I would have stopped it. We will ensure such things will not be repeated in future," the school principal Father A tete reportedly said in his apology letter. The apology of principal does not seem to have had any effect. On Monday evening the effigy of the principal was burnt at Ranchi's Albert Ekka chowk.
"The missionary-run schools do something to lower the dignity of Hindu gods on a regular basis . Their main reason to enact such an act was only to lower the dignity of Lord Rama, and forcing innocent people to convert to Christianity," said Pramod Mishra, Assistant secretary of Vishwa Hindu Parisad (VHP). He said, "the Christian missionaries should not put up such acts which hurt the sentiments of another community."
Meanwhile the district administration
is trying to settle the issue amicably to prevent any untoward incident.