Hindus want Auckland Shiva statue to stay

Hindus worldwide want the newly installed Lord Shiva statue in rural Auckland (New Zealand) to stay.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, pointed out that since the New Zealand constitution and other policies/laws protected religious freedom; we urge New Zealand Prime Minister John Key and Auckland Mayor Len Brown to protect the New Zealand Hindus with the same passion as they would have protected adherents of any other religion or non-belief.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, stressed that Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion of the world with about one billion followers and a rich philosophical thought, deserved the same protections accorded in New Zealand constitution to all the faiths.

Rajan Zed noted that if a devout Hindu property owner and his family; who reportedly sought the required Auckland Council approval and geo-technical inspections before mounting Lord Shiva statue on solid concrete foundation on his Clevedon property backyard; wanted to pray before a Council approved 6.4 meters-high 30-tonne marble statue, it should be perfectly okay.

How could a Lord Shiva statue appear “bizarre”, “offensive” and “insensitive” to anybody, as reportedly alleged? Zed asked.

In Hinduism, Lord Shiva, along with Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu, forms the great triad of Hindu deities. Moksh (liberation) is the ultimate goal of Hinduism.