Riyaz Amlani

Zameer Basrai

Pimenta

Catholic Secular Forum

Amlani

Catholic

Activists are upset that the police have registered a case against ‘unknown persons’, start online petition to shut down the pub.The troubles of pub Goregaon Social are far from over. A day after it pulled down “offensive” stained glass paintings and other materials and tendered an apology following objections by Christians, the community on Thursday said it wants the joint to face more music.Christian activists have now demanded the arrest of pub ownerand Ayaaz andof the Busride Design Studio who designed the interiors of the joint at Oberoi mall. “The fact that the offensive stained glass paintings and other material were taken down means that there was violation. We are pursuing the case with the police,” said Godfreyof the Watchdog Foundation, an organization that claims to work for interest of the Christian community.Pimenta added that an FIR under section 295A (hurting religious sentiments) has been registered and the section calls for stringent action. Another group known as the(CSF) has rejected the apology given by the pub management.“The police instead of making immediate arrests, registered the FIR against ‘unknown persons’ that too when all information as to who was responsible was in the public domain. We may have forgiven the culprits, but the law of the land must take its own course. The offense has been committed and guilty must be punished or it will give an impression that the perpetrators of the crime have political sanction or money power is at work,” said CSF’s general secretary Joseph Dias.The newly opened pub drew the ire of the community members because of its church-themed décor. Activists said that the pub had an objectionable depiction of Jesus holding a bag, Mother Mary having a Chain in her hand (instead of Rosary), Moses holding a computer tablet, St. Anthony shown wearing glasses etc.“Similarly, the tabernacle where Eucharist is stored or reserved is instead shown in the pub having some liquor bottles with inscription of Holy Cross on the container,” the complaint stated adding that there are messages from the Holy Bible inscribed on the tables. The activists also started an online petition to shut down the pub that has crossed over 5,000 signatures.A member from the pub’s management said that the design was based on an anti- consumerism theme against peoples buying habits. “We had called it church of anti-consumerism and the idea was to move towards the spiritual side,” said the source adding that there was absolutely no intention of hurting religious sentiments.Pub ownerapologised to the community as well as the Archdiocese of Bombay and said they have already removed all the imagery that the Watchdog Foundation considered offensive. “We have written to the Archdiocese of Mumbai expressing our deep regret on having inadvertently hurt the religious sentiments of thecommunity.“In the letter we assured that none of this was deliberate and that all offending design elements have been removed and we remain available to carry out any further changes that the church may deem offensive. They have accepted our apology in true spirit and advised us to avoid any such actions that may upset the sentiments of any community in the future,” he said.