One such poster near Jijamata Udyan in Byculla Tuesday. The artwork is said to have come from Raj Thackeray himself. One such poster near Jijamata Udyan in Byculla Tuesday. The artwork is said to have come from Raj Thackeray himself.

Posters depicting the Marathi Manoos crucified against the backdrop of highrises, put up by Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) as part of its protest against Mumbai’s proposed Development Plan 2014-34, have not gone down well with Christian organisations in the city that have sent complaints to the MNS as well as the Bombay Archdiocese.

Such posters have been pasted across parts of Byculla, CST and Girgaum by the Maharashtra Navnirman Mahapalika Kamgaar Karmchaari Sena, the party’s union in the civic body. The artwork on the poster is reportedly by the MNS chief himself.

“Our chief came up with a different way of depicting the plight of the Marathi Manoos as a result of the proposed FSI hike in the new DP,” said Dilip Naik, chairman of the Karmchaari Sena.

Asked about the artwork inspired by the Crucifixion, Naik said the poster should not be perceived as Christian imagery, for the Marathi Manoos in the drawing is not hung at the cross. “This is not a religious pictorial and has nothing to do with religion. We also do not have a Hindutva agenda, we have a Maharashtra agenda,” Naik said.

However, Christian organisations in the city are not amused.

“The poster clearly shows a man crucified in the same manner as Jesus was. Jesus’s Crucifixion brought us salvation and it is something we take very seriously, especially in this Lenten season, leading up to the Crucifixion on Good Friday. These posters hurt our religious sentiments and is cheap publicity for the party,” said Gordon D’Souza, president of the Catholic Sabha. At Vakola and Byculla, Christians also complained to local police and had the posters removed, he added.

Naik conceded that the Byculla shakha of the MNS had also received a complaint from a Christian MNS worker, but said “we made him understand that it is not Christian imagery”.

Meanwhile, the Bombay Archdiocese has tried to stay out of the issue and address the issue “through a private forum”. “We have chosen not to make an issue out of it. However, we have communicated to the MNS through our political connections that the poster is in poor taste. Although we endorse the message of the Mumbaikar being affected, using the Crucifixion as a medium to depict is in poor taste, as much as you claim to have creative freedom. After our communication, no new posters have come up,” said spokesperson for the Bombay Archdiocese, Fr Nigel Barrett.

anjali.lukose@expressindia.com

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