‘Maharashtra Times’ apologized for denigration

By Staff Reporter

Updates:

• ‘Maharashtra Times’ apologized for denigrating Hindu deities in ‘Hasa Leko’ (Mumbai, 16 Aug 07)
• Protest letter from Hindu protagonists to ‘Maharashtra Times’ ( Panvel, 15 Aug 07)
• Bajrang Dal workers burn copies of the Maharashtra Times in Thane (Thane, 15 Aug 07)
• Denigration of Hindu deities by ‘Maharashtra Times’ (15 Aug 07)  

 

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Mumbai (Maharashtra): The Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) and Sanatan Prabhat had called for a protest against denigration done by ‘Maharashtra Times’ dated 13 Aug 07. HJS spokesperson had also contacted the Maharashtra Times Editor Shri. Bharatkumar Raut. After this strong protest an apology has been tendered by Maharashtra Times in today’s (16 Aug 07) edition in the same column called ‘Hasa Leko’.  

 

 

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Protest letter from Hindu protagonists to ‘Maharashtra Times’

August 15, 2007

Panvel (Maharashtra): The daily Maharashtra Times in its 13th August issue in the humour section ‘Hasa loko’had denigrated the revered Hindu deities viz. Srikrushna, Sriram and the Guru. This was first exposed by the ‘Daily Sanatan Prabhat’.Thereafter several Hindu protagonists protested. This compelled the Maharshtra Times to accept its mistake and tender an apology. Some of its readers sent protest letters to it  and a copy to the Sanatan Prabhat. One such protest letter read, “We read the apolgy for the mistake commited by you in the issue dated 16th August. But we wonder how such mistakes are committed only when it comes to Hindus. We challenge you to ridicule the Christian and Muslim religions and see how they respond ! We are sure this mistake will never occur with respect to Christianity or Islam. You are doing this to Hinduism because you know that its followers will not react . But from now on beware because Hindus too have woken up. Ensure that this mistake is not repeated. India is a Hindu country and no one has the right to hurt our religious sentiments. Though We are regular readers of your daily after this incident we no longer feel like reading it. We hope you take cognizance of this.” Sau. Abhaya Upadhye, Sau. Vaishali S. Sambar, Sau. Sunanda Kindre, Sau. Yogita Savant, Sau Ujjvala Patil, Sau. Vishakha Mhatre, Sau Jayashree Manval, Sau.Sunanda Kulkarni, Shri Narayan Kulkarni, Shri Srikrushna Upadhye and Shri Anand Upadhye have signed this letter.

(Congratulations to those Hindu protagonists who lodged protests with the Daily Maharahtra Times. – Editor)

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Bajrang Dal workers burn copies of the ‘Maharashtra Times’ in Thane

August 16, 2007

Thane (Maharashtra): The Marathi daily Maharashtra Times in its humour section  ‘Haso Loko’ in the 13th August issue ridiculed the seats of worship of the Hindus, the  Hindu deities Srivishnu and Gurus. When agitating against this in front of the office of the ‘Maharashtra Times’ in Thane the angry Bajrang Dal workers set fire to copies of the newspaper.

The Bajrang Dal workers protested outside the Times of India office in the Naupada area of Thane and in a memorandum submitted to the editor of the ‘Daily Maharashtra Times’ , Shri Anil More the Thane district dharmarakshak of the Bajrang Dal demanded the name and address of the author of the article and warned that if not revealed they would resort to a more powerful agitation. He also warned  that if they did not give an assurance that this will not repeated in future they would resort to stronger protests .

Shri Anil More also informed that he would file a police complaint under clause  295 A for hurting religious sentiments and creating communal tension, against the concerned parties.

(We need to applaud the Bajrang Dal workers for vehemently protesting against these anti-Hindus.  We need leaders like Shri More all over to fight them in the courts. – Editor)

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Denigration of Hindu deities by ‘Maharashtra Times’

August 15, 2007

Mumbai (Maharashtra): In the column titled ‘Hasa Leko’  published daily in the supplement ‘Mumbai Times’ by newspaper ‘Maharashtra Times’, in its issue dated 13th August, very disgraceful mockery has been made of our worshipped deities Bhagavan Sree Krishna, Sree Rama and Guruvandana in the context of ‘Gataari Amavasya’.
       
Even on other days, the above referred column exhibits mockery of moral values, principles, rules of nature, principles related to Hindu Dharma etc. in a very indecent manner. In its issue dated 13th August, a few couplets of verse were published that said

Original Marathi Version:

अल्कोहोल चालिसा

गुरुर’रम्मा’ गुरुर’व्हिस्की’
गुरुर’व्होडका’ ‘ जिन्ने’श्वरा
गुरुर’स्कॉचा’ परम’ब्रँडी’
तस्मै श्री ‘ बीअरे’नम:

जय श्री अल्कोहोलाय नम:

English Version:

Alcohol Chalisa

“Gurur’rumma’, Gurur ‘whisky’,
Gurur ‘vodka’, ‘jinneshwara’,
Gurur ‘scotch’, Param ‘brandy’,
Tasmai shree ‘Beer’ Namah II

Jai Sree Alcoholay Namah ||”

There was parody of another ‘Shloka’ as given below:

Original Marathi Version:

दारुड्याचे दोहे
जिन मे बसी जानकी
रम मे बसे राम
व्हिस्की मे बसे विष्णू
शँपेन मे बसे श्याम
किस किस का त्याग करू मै
हर बॉटल में भगवान!!!
– मामंजी 

English Version:

“Goddess Seeta is in ‘Jin’,
Lord Rama is in ‘rum’,
Sree Vishnu in ‘Whisky’,
how can I give up either as
God is there in everything.”

In a joke published on 14th August, it was said that – one who drinks alone goes to hell, one who drinks with friends, goes to heaven and one does not drink goes to ‘Jaslok (a hospital in Mumbai)

Link of Mockery (Online Edition):

http://maharashtratimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2278421.cms

(If Hindus boycott such anti-Hindu newspapers and make it suffer for its existence, only then no newspaper would dare to ridicule Hindu Dharma, deities and religious principles. – Editor)

Address for protest:

Contact No.: 022 – 56354236, 022 – 22731543
Fax No.: 022 – 22731175, 022 – 22731144

Source: ‘Daily Sanatan Prabhat’

Related HJS Section

» MF Hussain’s Hypocrisy
» Defamation: Abuse on Hinduism