Police in Goa have stopped a controversial event after strong protests from the Catholic Church, NGOs and civil society groups, who said the program wrongly linked sexuality with the holy Christmas festival. The event, titled “Tales of Kamasutra and Christmas Celebration,” was planned for Dec. 25–28 in Panaji. But on Nov. 23, police ordered organizers to cancel it after a poster showing explicit content went viral on social media. In a statement, Goa Police said they had directed organizers to stop the event and remove all related advertisements from social media. The Church in Goa condemned the program, saying it deeply hurt Christian sentiments.
Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrao, Archbishop of Goa and Daman, said Christmas is a sacred time of joy and peace. Linking it with unrelated and explicit themes was “deeply offensive” and disrespectful to millions of believers. The Catholic Association of Goa (CAG) also filed a formal complaint, calling the event “illicit, obscene, and insulting.” CAG president Cyril A Fernandes said the organizers appeared to promote sexual activities under the name of spirituality, which could harm Goa’s reputation as a family-friendly place. Social activists also demanded action. Arun Pandey of the NGO Arz said authorities should check for possible violations of laws related to obscenity or exploitation.
The organizers, Osho Ludhiana Meditation Society, later apologized. They said their intention was to hold a tantra-based meditation retreat, not a sexual event. They admitted the poster caused misunderstanding by placing the words “Kamasutra” and “Christmas” together. The group has now cancelled the event and withdrawn all posters, saying they never meant to hurt religious feelings.
