Non-profit religious organisation, the South African Hindu Dharma Sabha, has filed cases of crimen injuria against two Durban pastors.
The move comes after videos of both men, allegedly making disparaging remarks about the Hindu community, went viral on social media last month.
The organisation’s president, Ram Maharaj, says freedom of expression cannot infringe on the freedom of conscious and conviction of any religious group.
“This Hindu bashing must stop. The vicious attacks on Hinduism were patently premeditated. They are peddling a false narrative about Hinduism. It is absolutely wrongful to say that Hindu’s worship idols. Hindu’s do not indulge in idol worship, but Hindu’s pray through Murthi’s. Murthi’s are personalised tangible images called God. Freedom of expression cannot infringe on the freedom of conscious and conviction of any religious group in South Africa.”
The suspects’ attorney Siven Samuel says his clients were set up.
Samuels is now appealing to the organisations that are pursuing legal action against his clients, to reconsider their decision.
“Mr. Simeon is a rather young person and he was called to give a testimony at an open-air meeting. He did not record that and distribute it. It was recorded by someone, who distributed it and the clip itself is being misinterpreted. So far as Mr. Llewelyn Joseph is concerned – that clip – it was not distributed by him to the public at large, to in any way defame or put down any religion or person. They believe that there has been manipulation in the background.”
#Headline Religious body files cases of crimen injuria against two Durban pastors, who’s social media posts sparked outrage from the Hindu community @Lotusfm #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/CztKdKGBTf
— Newsbreak (@Newsbreak_Lotus) July 6, 2020
