Case against Edamaruku after crucifix row

Sanal Edamaruku, the founder president of Rationalist International, is facing a blasphemy charge for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of Catholics in Mumbai.

Edamaruku had recently claimed that water dripping from a statue of Christ in Mumbai was not God's work but a result of bad plumbing. He also went on to say that the Church was using the miracle for making profit.

Thousands of people from across Mumbai and different parts of the country visited the Velankanni Church in Mumbai where water began to fall from the feet of Jesus on the cross.

Three complaints have been reportedly filed against the Edamaruku for inciting religious hatred.

The rational thinker earlier told media that the site of the 'miracle' crucifix was thoroughly inspected by him and the source of the water was found to be a leaking toilet drainage.

Following his televised debates on the crucifix, Edamaruku saw FIRs filed against him for 'hurting the religious sentiments' of Christians. He also faces a potential arrest under various sections of IPC.

"It's a case of miracle-mongering," Edamaruku told AFP. "Any kind of miracle-mongering is ultimately to get money and power."

Edamaruku, whose association campaigns for scientific reasoning over superstition, welcomed the moves against him as "an opportunity" and said he will also be challenging India's blasphemy law.

The legislation bans "deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs".

According to AFP, Edamaruku 's lawyers are currently preparing to lobby India's Supreme Court to overturn the colonial-era section of the penal code.

Catholic-Christian Secular Forum and the Association of Concerned Catholics (AOCC), are among those demanding a public apology from Edamaruku. The groups also accuse Edamaruku of alleging the Catholic Church practises idolatry.

The President of Maharashtra Christian Youth Forum Agnelo Fernandes even filed an FIR against Edamaruku on March 10. Fernandes said the Church did not project the 'bleeding' crucifix as a miracle, yet Edamaruku accused the parish priest of fooling people and making money from it.

Edamaruku, whose association boasts of more than 100,000 members, hails from the southern state of Kerala and works as a part-time journalist and publisher.