Goa Probing If Site Where Manohar Parrikar’s Body Was "Purified"

Mangalore Today News Network

Panaji, Mar 24, 2019: Goa has ordered a probe into claims on social media that the site where late Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s body was kept in the government-run Kala Academy for public to pay last respects was "purified".

In a Facebook post, Goa’s Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude said that the Kala Acedemy, which functions under the aegis of his ministry, does not promote unscientific activities.

"I have taken a strong note of some activities carried out in the Kala Academy premises as rituals today. I have ordered an inquiry into it. We cannot promote or patronise unscientific activities inside government buildings," Mr Gaude said.

Gurudas Pilernekar, member secretary of the state’s premier Arts and Culture centre, told news agency IANS that while a probe had been ordered by the institution, it appears that four Hindu priests had been called by an academy staffer for chanting of the ’Om’ mantra.

He, however, did not explain why the chanting exercise had been conducted.

"It appears that what rites the four pandits had performed was not a purification ceremony, but chanting of the Om mantra," Mr Pilernekar said.

Mr Parrikar died on March 17, after a prolonged battle with pancreatic cancer.

Courtesy:NDTV