The recent controversy involving Subhash Velingkar, a former RSS leader, calling for a DNA test of the relics of St Francis Xavier has caused an uproar with accusations of hurting religious sentiments and disrupting communal harmony. The exposition of the sacred relics has been going on from time immemorial drawing pilgrims from the country and all over the world. The international community too will be peeved at such outrageous remarks as the relics symbolise the incorruptible body of the saint which has connotations with the Vatican where the right arm and hand are preserved as a relic in the Church of Gesu in Rome.
The red herring set at this juncture is a classic distraction tactic of the saffron party known for its divisive politics to distract the people from the ongoing concerns of land acquisition and infrastructure concerns. There is also significant advocacy from civil groups for inclusion of more villages within the ambit of the Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs) of the Western Ghats to thwart the evil designs of the land mafia especially from Delhi which has already taken hold of large parcels of land for construction of multiplexes in our villages in complexity with our approving agencies from the grassroots levels of Panchayats to the Town Planning authorities. Hence the outbursts of the disgruntled RSS mole needs to be taken with a pinch of salt as there is a larger controversy surrounding his outbursts.
