An idol of the Hindu goddess Kali Mata was found by devotees disguised as Mother Mary at a Mumbai temple, leading police to arrest the shrine’s priest.
According to an RCF police station official, a video of Kali Mata idol dressed as Mother Mary in a temple on the outskirts of Chembur has surfaced on social media.
Devotees who visited the temple on Sunday were amazed to find the idol of Goddess Kali dressed in a garment resembling that of the mother of Jesus Christ.
They contacted the local police and told them about the change in the deity’s attire. When questioned by devotees, the temple priest, identified only as Ramesh, claimed that a Hindu goddess had appeared in his dream and instructed him to “adorn her in the form of Mother Mary”.
According to the police, a case has been registered against the priest under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for hurting the religious sentiments of the community.
The priest was subsequently arrested and produced before a local court, which sent him to police custody for two days, they said. Police officers were now investigating whether there was an organized motive behind the incident or whether more people were involved, the official added.
Earlier in September, a Durga Puja pandal in Ranchi with a “Vatican City” theme angered the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), which alleged that it was done to “hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus” and encourage conversion, allegations denied by the organizers.
The Vatican in Europe is the smallest sovereign state in the world and the center of the Roman Catholic Church.
VHP National Spokesperson Vinod Bansal shared his reservation on the ‘Vatican’ themed Durga Puja tent on X.
“This was done to hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus and aimed at encouraging religious conversion. If the organizing committee of this Durga Puja pandal is so keen on secularism, I would request them to display a photograph of a Hindu god or goddess at any event organized by a church or Madrasas in Ranchi,” Bansal told PTI.
He said religious symbols of Christianity were placed at the entrance of the Puja pandal and photographs of Mother Mary and other Christian figures were displayed inside.
