India: Assam: Activist Arrested For Dressing Up as Hindu God Shiva for Street Play On Price Rise

Source:https://thewire.in/rights/assam-activist-arrested-shiva-street-play-rising-prices

Assam: Activist Arrested For Dressing Up as Hindu God Shiva for Street Play On Price Rise

Members of Hindutva groups, including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal, took objection to the street play and filed a complaint.

Birinchi Bora in the role of the Hindu deity Shiva. Photo: First India/Twitter

The Wire Staff

10.07.22

New Delhi: An activist was arrested – and later released – for allegedly hurting religious sentiments in Assam, after he dressed up as Hindu god Shiva for a street kit on rising food prices.

According to Time8, two activists, Birinchi Bora and a female colleague, Parishmita, had dressed up as Lord Shiva and his spouse, Goddess Parvati, for a short drama about social issues.

In the skit that went viral, both ‘Shiva’ and ‘Parvati’ were riding a Royal Enfield motorcycle when the vehicle stopped apparently because it ran out of fuel. “What follows was an argument between Shiva and Parvati over the issue, where ‘Shiva’ starts to attack the Modi government over rising fuel prices and other issues,” said an NDTV report.

‘Shiva’ then appeals to the public to come out and protest against the Narendra Modi government to get rid of rising prices.

As per Time8, the youth wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) filed an FIR, which led to the arrest of Birinchi Bora, who played Lord Shiva in the drama. NDTV reported Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal held protests against their act and later filed a complaint.

Police sources told NDTV that while the activist was detained initially, he was later arrested and released on bond.