Wednesday, August 2, 2006

Some Idiots in India...

So I don't know how "freedom of religion" and "freedom of speech" work in India (perhaps Ergo could shed some light on this as he lives over there currently?), but apparently a fashion designer was arrested in Mumbai because some religious nuts were "offended" by religious quotes on some clothing...

From the article:

Ahmedabad, Aug 2 - Police have registered a complaint against a Mumbai-based fashion designer and two shops for 'hurting religious sentiments' by designing and selling clothes with sacred Hindu and Jain texts.

Two religious groups, the Rajnagar Jain Sangh and Bharatiya Dharmarakshak Sena, late Monday night lodged a complaint with the Navrangpura police station here against Designer Dipen Desai, his firm Veda and Mantra and the two city-based garments showrooms for 'hurting religious sentiments', a police official told IANS.

On behalf of their organisations, Rashmin Shan and Abhay Shah complained that the printing of the Gayatri Mantra and Navkar Mantra on clothes was an insult to the Hindu and Jain religions.

Police have filed the complaint under Section 295(c) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), relating to hurting religious sentiments.

Police said they were searching for the owners of the two showrooms here that were selling the contentious clothes.
Seriously? They arrested some dude because of words on clothes?!?! It sounds like the two who complained have a little too much free time on their hands if their busy being "offended" by some articles of clothing... Is it truly against the law to "offend" people these days?

Because when the Muslims were all up in arms about the Mohammed cartoons, people didn't back down then.

And we shouldn't now, either.

If you are free to state your religious belief, I am free to poke fun at it, point out logic-gaps, and print the stupid words on some fucking T-shirts, people. Of course, this wasn't in the U.S., but how many fundies out there who are reading this would just love to have me arrested for offending you, hmm?

That's what I thought.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Jason. I'm a fundie and I agree with your stand on the words-on-clothing stand. The outside bears witness to the inside, whether secular or religious, and the inside should not be regulated. It should just be allowed to suffer the consequences of its decisions, good or bad.

The_Gay_Dude said...

Here people should be arrested for fitting a size 10 body into a size 0 pair of spandex....but I digress!

Anonymous said...

Very little manages to shock me anymore.

There is another recent story in the papers in India of doctors who were caught on tape agreeing to amputate healthy limbs off beggars in exchange for 10,000 rupees -- thats approximately $215. Apparently, the logic (illogic) is that beggars with amputated limbs will be able to beg for more money elicited out of sympathy for their condition.

India is a wierd place. Trust me.

A Bear in the Woods said...

In England, Scotland Yard is investigating the Gay Police Assoc. for posting an ad quoting statistics on religious affiliation of Gay bashers. All documented info, yet posting religious affiliation info on people who beat up gays is somehow a "faith" crime. Like you, I noted that nobody cared when Muslims were on the receiving end, and no body cares that gays are beaten. They care a lot, however, if you mention that it's christians who are doing the beating. Hinduism was once known for openness and tolerance. no more, I guess.