Megahalaya govt issues lookout notice against publisher for offensive Jesus picture

The Meghalaya government on Monday issued a 'lookout notice' against the publishing house that recently sparked outrage among Christians after printing an objectionable picture of Jesus holding a beer can and a cigarette.

Education Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh told the state assembly that the notice was issued after the government declared the publisher, Indra Mohan Jha, an absconder.

According to IANS, the owner has been on the run since the Shillong bench of the Gauhati High Court terminated his interim bail March 15 and directed him to surrender to the authorities.

The Meghalaya government has registered a criminal case against the publisher.

The offensive picture of Jesus with a beer can was first seen in a cursive writing exercise book of Class I students of St Joseph Girls Higher Secondary School in capital Shillong in February.

With the Church expressing strong indignation, police registered a case against the Delhi-based publisher and also seized all copies of the textbook from schools and bookshops.

The Catholic Church has banned the publisher in all its schools and demanded the government to take stringent action against such objectionable publications.

Apparently, the offensive picture also sparked protests and violence in Batala, Punjab where it was seen printed on some hoardings.