Hindu group objects to use of 'Om' in garbage sites

A Hindu group has asked the Panaji city corporation to drop Hindu symbol 'Om' from signages put up in strategic locations in the Goa capital. The civic body resorted to 'Om' to discourage dumping of garbage.

In a memorandum to the Corporation of the City of Panaji, the Hindu Janajagurti Samiti (HJS) said the depiction of 'Om' on the signs amounted to denigration of the Hindu symbol.

"Boards with 'No Dumping Garbage' and 'Cleanliness is next to Godliness' written on them are displayed at various garbage sites in the city. These boards have holy Hindu Symbol 'Om' along with the Cross and the Moon," HJS convenor Manoj Solanki said in the memorandum.

"This act has hurt religious sentiments of Hindus. It is very shocking to see the use of religious symbols to discourage people from dumping garbage when the holy symbol is so sacred to Hindus and used for worship," he said.

Panaji has been plagued with garbage disposal issues, with the authorities unable to zero-in on a space for large-scale garbage treatment, resulting in heaps of garbage lying all over the city.