the goan I network
PANAJI
In a major row Saturday, Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude ordered a probe into reports on social media platforms that “shuddhikaran” (purification) ritual was conducted by Hindu priests exactly at the site in Kala Academy where the body of late Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar was kept in state on the day of his funeral.
Gaude said he has taken serious note of the reports that rituals were conducted at the premises of the Kala Academy which although is an autonomous body, functions under the aegis of the Art and Culture ministry held by him.
He told the media that he was unaware whether the ritual conducted at the premier institution was a “shuddhikaran” or a “shantikaran” (pacification) ritual but either way it was objectionable that such unscientific activities take place in government-owned buildings.”Unscientific activities cannot be patronised in government buildings,” Gaude, who also posted on Facebook about it, said.
Parrikar had died after over a year long battle with advanced pancreatic cancer on March 17. His funeral was held on Monday and his body wrapped in the tricolor was kept at the Kala Academy, where thousands of people and a galaxy of VVIPs, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid their last respects.
Meanwhile, according to Kala Academy’s member secretary Gurudas Pilarnkar, the set of four Hindu priests who allegedly performed the ritual on Saturday were engaged by
a staffer.
The priests were called for chanting of the ‘Om’ mantra it has been prima facie ascertained, Pilarnkar said, but did not elaborate to what purpose the exercise was undertaken.
He also said the Art and Culture Minister had ordered a probe into the incident but prima-facie it has been found out that it was not a ‘purification ceremony’ (shuddhikaran) but chanting of the Om mantra.
It was however not clear what is the nature of the ‘inquiry’ Gaude has ordered or who has been appointed to conduct it.
