Jose Pereira
PANAJI: The north Goa-based Xavier Centre of Historical Research (XCHR) on Thursday declined to capitulate to the continued pressures from Hindu right wing organisations and groups to withdraw 12 more paintings from its exhibition of paintings of scholar and artist Jose Pereira.On Wednesday, the activists of (Hindu Jagar Manch)HJS confronted Mr. Pereira at a function in Porvorim in north Goa, but his explanation, including recital of slokas, to back his source of epiphanies apparently failed to convince the motivated agitators

The groups have been protesting against an exhibition at the XCHR which has on display some epiphanies of Hindu Gods by Jose Pereira. The groups have continued a sustained campaign branding the paintings “obscene and nude pictures of Hindu gods by anti-Hindu artist Jose Pereira.”

In a statement on Wednesday after it had to withdraw three pictures of the artist from the exhibition, XCHR Director Fr. Delio Mendonca said, “Though the XCHR is cooperating with the police request to temporarily withdraw these paintings, it condemns the threats and disrespect shown to this scholar.”

Controversy

While the exhibition started on July 23, the controversy over the painting exhibition arose after activists of the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) lodged a police complaint on Tuesday and sought the withdrawal of what they claimed to be “blasphemous portrayal of Shiva and Krishna” by Mr. Pereira.

The Alto Porvorim-based Xavier Centre of Historical Research said on Wednesday, “XCHR regrets to announce the temporary withdrawal of three paintings from its latest art exhibition, ‘Epiphanies of the Hindu Gods' by Jose Pereira.”

“Contrary to the claim that these images are against Indian culture, they actually embody the highest cultural ideals of our great civilization,” said Fr. Mendonca.