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Sunday, November 20, 2011

[ALOCHONA] Fwd: [mukto-mona] Goa's new Temple Dress Code and Bar on foreigners must be opposed



Not taking any sides here. However it is NOT only Muslims who ties to conserve their value, people from all faith has done that. The common perception is ONLY Muslims are concern about 'Dress codes" is not true.

Here are some examples....

Intimidating protest highlight Israeli religious divide

By Kevin Connolly BBC News, Jerusalem


http://www.religiouswatch.com/thread00361_religious_police_in_israel.htm



-----Original Message-----
From: Sandeep Heble <sandeepheble@gmail.com>
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Sent: Sun, Jul 24, 2011 8:18 am
Subject: [mukto-mona] Goa's new Temple Dress Code and Bar on foreigners must be opposed

I am deeply distressed to read news reports that some temples in Goa have imposed a dress code restricting visitors while some others have banned the entry of foreigners altogether. There are further indications that many more temples in India's Tourist Capital are likely to follow suit which is a matter of high concern as it violates certain fundamental rights.  The idea of conservatism is slowly raising its head. In the name of restoring temple decorum and sanctity, there are attempts being made to dictate the lives of others which is unfortunate. Women are liable to be the biggest victims of these new regulations, where in one such case; a young girl was disallowed from entering the temple because she was wearing shorts.  Goa has always been unique for its pluralistic traditions, its cultural ambiance and its respect for universal human values which distinguishes it from some other parts of the Country. That is what gives it an element of charm and makes it one of the most favored destinations for tourists worldwide. The temple authorities, who have framed these fresh set of laws and restrictions, have neglected the great pride of place our society has given to the tourist. By imposing unreasonable restrictions, they also seem to have not taken into account the varying cultural aspects of other Nations and their cultures.  The foreign tourist who arrives in Goa is our esteemed guest who we must treat with dignity and honor. It is one thing to impose reasonable restrictions on the basis of existing laws of 'Obscenity and Public conduct' while it is quite another to act as some kind of a moral and cultural policeman who sacrifices the principles of freedom and liberty at the altar of supposed temple decorum and sanctity.  It is pertinent to note that Hinduism has always held the guest in high esteem. Hinduism's inherent principles of "Atithi devo bhavah" or "the Guest is God" have even been used by the Tourism Department of India in its Social Awareness Campaign aimed at providing the inbound tourist a sense of being welcomed to the country. As such, the new temple regulations, far from making the Tourists feel welcome, are denying them their personal space and freedom in a State that has always embraced cultural diversity.  Our Constitution has been founded on the core principles of liberty, freedom, and equality, which ensures that individuals are free to make their own personal choices without unreasonable State interference and discrimination. These regulations appear to be sheer violation of our fundamental rights and are liable to be used/ misused by the authorities to unintentionally or otherwise harass tourists/ other citizens who do not fit into their narrow walls of conservatism.  Even those who adopt modern fashionable attire may find disfavor of the authorities and may even be barred by the authorities, which is a scary and frightening proposition.  What next? Are we taking our society backwards into time? Do foreigners really vitiate our temple decorum and sanctity? Are our Gods really insulted by all this? When I see the politics of mis-governance happening all around me, I recount the words of Goan poet, the late Bakibab Borkar, who in one of his books wrote:  "In the whole of India, Kashmir, Kamarupa, Kerala and Konkan are supposed to be the richest in scenic beauty. I have had the good luck of drinking deep in the founts of their distinctive charm and thus have my aesthetic sense refined. But if I am to be born again and I am allowed to choose my future birth place, I shall undoubtedly opt for Goa because its great beauty has a supernatural quality of refining the human mind and turning it inward into the depths of creativity and spirituality..."  When I read these wonderful words, I begin to wonder whether Goa's legendary Poet would write the same today. There is corruption happening all around. There is indiscriminate looting of public assets and resources happening all around. There are citizens who do not have access to proper education, food and shelter. Even God, who gifted us such a beautiful land, must be crying aloud wondering what we are trying to do in his name.  When land which is our greatest asset is being destroyed, when there still exist citizens do not have even the basic civic amenities to live a dignified life. Will God really feel insulted by all this or by the foreigner's attire?  In the light of all the aforesaid, I appeal to all concerned authorities to initiate steps for the reversal of the decision taken by the Temple authorities on dress code restrictions. The clock of prosperity and progress must not be turned backwards.  A true democracy is one that thrives on diversity and embraces different cultural values. If our society has to progress, then this kind of moral policing has to be strongly opposed. Goa, the land of diversity, cannot be allowed to be taken over by an orthodox mindset. Modern principles of human rights and respect for all must be adopted.  True justice can be done to God by serving the needy and the downtrodden, by restoring our land to its pristine glory, by Good Governance. Not by curbing the individual freedoms of others.  I hope the temple authorities will consider this plea rationally and liberally.  with warm regards and good wishes!   ------------------------------------  **************************************************** Mukto Mona plans for a Grand Darwin Day Celebration:   Call For Articles:  http://mukto-mona.com/wordpress/?p=68  http://mukto-mona.com/banga_blog/?p=585  ****************************************************  VISIT MUKTO-MONA WEB-SITE : http://www.mukto-mona.com/   ****************************************************  "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say  it".                 -Beatrice Hall [pseudonym: S.G. Tallentyre], 190Yahoo! 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