Protest : A blog post on Rediff.com denigrating Shri Hanuman

In the blog, the author mentions that Divya Iyer has suggested that Shri Hanuman should be made the mascot for the Indian Foreign Service (IFS). There is also a cartoon depicting Shri Hanuman in a derogatory way on the same webpage. Hindu Janajagruti Samiti promptly wrote to Rediff.com, bringing to their attention the nature and ill effects of this denigration.

In light of this, we appeal to you to register your peaceful appeal against the blog on rediff.com. Let us show our solidarity against this demeaning post by emailing or calling the Rediff office asking them to remove the blog post and apologize to all Hindus.

The appeal letter written by Hindu Janajagruti Samiti

From: Hindu Jagruti
Sent: Thursday, May 7, 2015 1:17 PM
To: [email protected]

Subject: The denigration of Shri Hanuman on Rediff.com (Blog by Ambassador B.S. Prakash, November 24, 2014)

To
The Grievance Officer
Rediff.com

Namaste,

We, at Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, have received complaints from Hindus regarding the denigration of Shri Hanuman on your blog written by Ambassador B.S. Prakash on November 24, 2014 which is available at –

http://www.rediff.com/news/column/bs-prakash-should-Shri-hanuman-be-the-ifs-mascot/20141125.htm

In the blog Divya Iyer has suggested that Shri Hanuman should be made the mascot for the Indian Foreign Service (IFS). There is also a cartoon picture depicting Shri Hanuman in a derogatory way on the same webpage. Showing cartoons of Deities actually amounts to denigration and is an offense as per Indian Penal Code section 295A.

Hindu Janajagruti Samiti is a registered NGO in India doing social, Hindu Dharma related and national welfare work. The Samiti is also active throughout the world, educating people about Hindu Dharma in a scientific way, campaigning against malpractices done as Hindu Dharma related practices and solving problems related to misrepresentation of Hindu Dharma. For further details please refer to our website www.HinduJagruti.org.

We are sending this letter to you to inform you about the blatant denigration of Shri Hanuman through this blog. Shri Hanuman is a highly revered Deity and is worshipped by millions of Hindus. Your blog is a denigration of Hinduism and it hurts the sentiments of Hindus. Hindus worship Shri Hanuman, hence to make jokes about Him, depicting him in a cartoon and suggest that He be made a mascot for IFS is not in good taste, disrespectful, insulting and amounts to denigration, leading to a grave sin. Would you have joked about other religious figures being made a mascot for the IFS?

We request you to issue a public apology on your blog and remove it from your website immediately.

We protest the denigration caused by this blog and hope that to prevent hurting the sentiments of Hindus throughout the world, such blogs are not published on your website in the future.

Sincerely,

Hindu Janajagruti Samiti.