Controversial Christmas Event Cancelled Amid Public Outcry
The Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh Foundation has officially cancelled its controversial 'Tales of Kamasutra & Christmas Celebration' event that was scheduled to take place from December 25-28 in Goa. The decision came following widespread public outcry led by the Catholic Church and women's organizations, culminating in police intervention and legal action.
Police Action and Organizer's Apology
Goa police have filed an FIR against the founders of the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh Foundation and Osho Ludhiana Meditation Society for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. Crime Branch SP Rahul Gupta confirmed that police directed the organizers for the second time on Monday to cancel all bookings and refund participants' money.
Swami Dhyan Sumit, a representative of the foundation, told media that their mistake was using the name Christmas in their promotional material. "Our mistake this time was that we used the name Christmas in our poster. We are here for meditation, and we are not here for vulgarity," he stated, adding that they have already organized two meditation retreats previously.
Religious Community's Strong Reaction
The Archbishop of Goa and Daman, Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrao, expressed "deep anguish and profound hurt" over the event advertisements. He strongly objected to the irresponsible association of the sacred Christmas celebration with explicit and unrelated themes, calling the conflation "deeply offensive to the faith and sentiments of millions."
The Catholic Association of Goa (CAG) joined the protest, with president Cyril Fernandes demanding immediate cancellation and police investigation. Fernandes stated that the planned event "insulted the religious faith of the Catholic community by circulating sacrilegious observance with explicit sexual content."
Women's Groups and Tourism Concerns
The event faced fierce opposition from women's organizations including the Goa Women's Forum (GWF) and Bailancho Ekvott. The organizers were charging participants Rs 25,000 for accommodation and food, which raised additional concerns.
In a letter to tourism director Kedar Naik, the GWF demanded a full investigation into the foundation's antecedents, warning that such events would damage Goa's reputation as a family-friendly destination and promote sex tourism. Bailancho Ekvott termed the event "an abuse of religious freedom and an assault on Catholic tradition."
Arun Pandey of Arz organization expressed concern about Goa being advertised as a sex destination in the name of Christmas and meditation, prompting his written complaint to the Goa crime branch.
Panaji PI Vijaykumar Chodankar confirmed the registration of the FIR on Monday, while Goa police have directed all police stations to maintain vigilance over upcoming events in their jurisdictions to prevent similar controversies.
