Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) has demanded legal action against Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh for allegedly insulting the revered deity Chamundi Daiv of the Kotitulu community during the closing ceremony of the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) held in Goa.
According to the complaint submitted by HJS to the Inspector of Panaji Police Station on December 1, Ranveer Singh mimicked the divine avatar depicted in the Kannada film Kantara – Chapter 1 onstage and referred to the sacred Chamundi Daiv as a “female ghost.” The Committee stated that this act amounted to disrespect toward the deity and had hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus.
The memorandum was handed over to PSI Sahin Shetye by HJS representatives Pramod Tuyekar and Dilip Shetye.
In its submission, HJS said the Chamundi deity is the revered family goddess of the Tulu community. Calling the deity a “ghost” and imitating the sacred form for entertainment, the Committee said, was “deeply insulting” and an attack on the faith of devotees. They warned that the incident had caused outrage among community members and could potentially disturb public peace.
The Committee urged the police to register a case against Ranveer Singh under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, pertaining to deliberate insult to religious sentiments and promoting enmity. HJS also called upon IFFI organisers and officials to frame a strict code of conduct to prevent any future disrespect toward religious deities at public events.
Additionally, the Committee demanded that Ranveer Singh issue a public apology and give an assurance that he would refrain from making such statements or performances in the future. HJS appealed to all Hindus to protest the insult in a lawful, peaceful, and determined manner.
