Church official accepts pub’s apology, activists continue

Mangalore Today News Network

Mumbai, Nov 11, 2016:  Christian activists refuse to let the issue of offensive décor at the Goregaon Social pub die down even as the Archdiocese of Bombay accepted an apology from the pub owners and considered the matter closed.

 

On Nov 6,  Sunday, the activists drafted a legal notice to be sent to Riyaz Amlani, the owner of the pub.

The matter also took on a political hue after activists approached Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar seeking his intervention.

However, the Archdiocese of Bombay maintained that the matter was closed for the church.

“As far as we are concerned, the matter was closed after the pub owners removed the offensive material and tendered an apology. The Cardinal, however, wants to meet the said activists although he has not revealed what he plans to discuss with them," said Nigel Barrett, spokesperson of the Archdiocese of Bombay.

The pub attracted the ire of the Christian community 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 the rosary), Moses holding a computer tablet and St Anthony shown wearing glasses, among others.

But not all activists are incensed because of religious sentiments.

“The pub owner has wrongly accused us in a media report calling our actions as motivated and therefore we have decided to go all out against them. We are in the process of filing several Right to Information (RTI) applications to find out violations made by the pub. We are also sending a defamation notice to Riyaz Amlani," said Godfrey Pimenta of the Watchdog Foundation.

Meanwhile, Amlani’s Impresario Entertainment and Hospitality that runs the pub has claimed to have stopped all communication with activists. “We are in communication with the archdiocese and we have been categorically told not to engage with any other group," said a spokesperson.