Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Goan filmmaker, legal historian and public advocate Dr Abhijit B. Patil has issued a strong condemnation of Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh over his controversial remarks referencing Chamunda Devi during the closing ceremony of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa.
Dr Patil accused the actor of insulting a revered deity and hurting the sentiments of the Hindu community, saying Singh’s conduct on stage was unacceptable. “Art is not a license to insult. Stardom is not immunity from accountability. We will not tolerate the mockery of our deities. We stand for Dharma. We stand for Devi,” he said.
Calling the incident a betrayal of cultural values, Dr Patil said Singh, despite being born into a Hindu family, had shown a lack of reverence for the faith. He described Goa as his holy place of birth and emphasised that the issue went beyond cinema, touching the core of cultural and spiritual respect.
He demanded a public apology from the actor, stressing that it was a moral obligation owed to millions of devotees whose beliefs had been offended.
Dr Patil also highlighted the significance of Chamunda Devi and Shantadurga in Goan tradition, explaining that both are manifestations of Goddess Durga—Chamunda as the destroyer of adharma and Shantadurga as the restorer of dharma. He said the two forms are complementary aspects of divine feminine energy and must be treated with utmost respect.
Concluding his statement, Dr Patil said faith cannot be used as a prop for performance and urged public figures to uphold cultural sanctity, especially on national platforms.
