Panaji: After he was booked by police over a remark on Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, a Catholic priest in Goa has expressed regret and has appealed to people to maintain peace and harmony.
A video of Fr. Bolmax Pereira, attached to a church at Chicalim near Vasco town, had gone viral recently in which he had said that “there should be dialogue with Hindus over considering ‘Chhatrapati Shivaji as a God (Whether Chhatrapati Shivaji is god of Hindus)”.
Later after apologising over the incident, Fr. Bolmax Pereira said that his intention was not to hurt sentiments of any community.
“I am an ardent follower and admirer of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. World admires him as he united everyone. Only point I wanted to make with my people is that some sections admire him as god. He is our national hero… he is a warrior and importantly he connected us (Hindu-Christians). I spoke with my community. Someone made a video of it viral. I don’t know who has done it,” he said, adding he is not against Shivaji Maharaj.
“Since last many years we have lived together. I have many friends from Hindu religion. We should not get divided over that statement, instead protect our peace and harmony,” he said.
According to him, the reference of Shivaji Maharaj came in his sermon over some issues. “I was only telling my community that we should have dialogue with our Hindu friends and nothing else,” he said.
After the video went viral, one group admiring ‘Shivaji Maharaj’ staged a protest outside the Vasco police station on Friday night, demanding immediate arrest of Fr Bolmax Pereira and people supporting priests also had gathered near church.
According to a Catholic leader, who helped police to defuse tension erupted near Church wherein supporters of the priest had gathered, Fr. Bolmax had no intention to hurt anyone.
“What he wanted to tell was that attributing Shivaji Maharaj to only one religion would reduce his greatness among the people of other faiths,” a Catholic leader on condition of anonymity said.
Meanwhile, Fr Bolmax Pereira has applied for anticipatory bail.
–IANS
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