Pastor Rajesh Goundar of El-Shaddai Assemblies Of God Church in Wairabetia, Lautoka is seeking forgiveness from those who have been hurt by his actions in demolishing and removing a Hindu God’s idol from a compound in Lawaki settlement in Lautoka.
A video of this incident has gone viral where a few people can be seen breaking and removing the idol.
When asked, Pastor Goundar told Fijivillage the owner of the house gave him the consent to demolish the idol and it was the family’s choice.
He says the woman was sick for a while and asked him to pray for her. Pastor Goundar further says the woman had also asked him to remove the idol.
Meanwhile, President of the Shree Sanatan Dharm Pratinidhi Sabha of Fiji, Sarju Prasad has condemned the act labeling it as shameful and intolerable.
Prasad says most religions, worship idols in one form or another and every right-thinking person would take strong exception to this act.
He says this act hurts the sanctity of their religion and our constitution.
Prasad adds if the idol was not acceptable to the owners of the property, they should have not destroyed or caused it to be destroyed but should have asked the neighbours or other persons of the respective faith to remove it from where it was installed.
The President of the Shree Sanatan Dharm Pratinidhi Sabha of Fiji says they do not go and destroy the religious symbol, idols or religious houses of any community and they expect the same treatment from all others.
He is calling on the Government and all religious and community leaders to take this act as an attack to humanity and the notion of non-violence as a whole.
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