‘Vulgar’ idol of goddess Saraswati at college in Tripura sparks controversy

Tripura: In a recent incident, Saraswati puja celebrations at a college in Tripura were spoiled after a group of activists staged protests over ‘vulgar’ looks seen in an idol of Goddess Saraswati. The incident took place on Wednesday, said reports in this regard.

It is noteworthy mentioning that the staged protest was led by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). Members of the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh), Bajrang Dal, and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad were also involved in the incident.

The protest came after the idol of the goddess was seen without a draped saree. The protestors claimed the idol of goddess Saraswati to be ‘vulgar’ and said it was against the spirit of Indian culture.

Reliable reports state that the protest broke out when the puja rituals were ongoing with students present at the spot. The idol was draped with a saree. However, later it was replaced with another idol.

The protestors even demanded strict action against the college authority. They even urged the immediate intervention of Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha.

Notably, the protest was led by ABVP Tripura general secretary Dibakar Acharjee. He said, “This idol is vulgar and hurts the religious sentiments of the people. We want to know which statue or idol’s sculpture did it follow. We don’t want anyone to play with the sentiments of our tradition.”

Speaking further, the authorities of the college stated that the idol was built based on the traditional sculpture forms that is seen in different temples across Northern and Southern India. They even clarified that it was never their intention to hurt the religious sentiments of anyone.

Officials from the local police station even visited the scene to look into the matter. However, no formal complaint was lodged by any of the protesting parties.