New Delhi, September 9, 2020: The South Africa Dharma Sabha has launched civil cases against the evangelists Simeon Bradley Chetty and Reverend Llewellyn Joseph for uttering statements deemed offensive to the South African Hindus.
The cases have been launched in the Equality Court in the Chatsworth Magistrate’s Court.
A team of advocates, attorneys, professors, and religious experts, and young Hindus who are the part of Dharma Sabha have initiated this case. To know about what Chetty said click here.
Joseph has apologized for the comments made remarks in February on Kavady.
He had claimed that during Kavady some feel ‘heaviness.’
Joseph can be seen in the clip stating that “the fear that the curse of those spirits is working in and throughout the home and every time when it comes that Kavady time, the previous time, you just feel the heaviness come upon your family and your home. Is that person here? I want to pray… with that person.”
In the press note accessed by CurrenTriggers, the Sabha says that the comments were deeply demeaning and smack of religious intolerance.
Sabha also spoke of the colonial era when the Hindus were made to suffer as they were regarded as Heathens.
It says that the vulnerable minority Hindu community of South Africa is suffering from historical patterns or ‘discrimination and disadvantage which are systematic in nature since 1860.’
The Sabha reminded the court that the Hindus were forcibly removed from their homes and Temple were demolished during colonial times and an ‘excessively disproportionate number of churches’ dominate the landscape where the Hindus live.
Hinduphobia: Hindus face racist outbursts for celebrating Diwali in South Africa
Due to Hinduphobic comments, the Human Rights Commission often has to step in to take control of the situation.
Racist slurs have been made during Diwali, not just on Hindu South Africans, but also on the Indian diplomats as well which rarely gets coverage due to sensitive situations.
By Namta Gupta
