Author: M. Bhaskar Sai
Publication: Organiser
Date: April 30, 2006
URL: http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=128&page=31
Last week, Chennai port welcomed MV Doulos,
the world's largest floating book fair, which has been listed in the Guinness
Book of World Records as the oldest, active ocean-going passenger ship. Stocked
with more than five lakh books, the book fair was inaugurated by Governor
Surjit Singh Barnala recently. The book fair had occupied a major space in
almost all the newspapers. And it was also said that the book fair would give
an ultimate experience to book worms.
While all of us were thinking that the ship
had brought a lot of cheer, it had also brought some controversies. Some visitors
who had been to the ship said that the vessel is owned by Christian missionaries.
"The crew was trying to spread Christianity among the visitors rather
than promoting reading habit," said a visitor who had been aboard the
ship.
"Everyone who visits the ship is given
a cassette which has messages of Christianity in it. Apart from that, most
of the books in the ship are about Christianity. I had been with my family
to the ship by paying Rs 50 for every person, thinking that we might get a
good variety of books. On seeing this, all of us were very disappointed,"
said another visitor.
"The only thing in which the crew members
of the ship are keen on is spreading Christianity. Majority of books here
are with Christianity content and the response from these people is also not
good when we ask for something," says Sekar, a bank employee.
Another shocking thing, which came to be known,
is that one among the crew-members of the ship had used insulting words to
a visitor, calling him a 'nasty' Indian.
Immediately, the visitor had complained it
to the police but the police had reportedly said that they could not do anything
as it is election time and a complaint might create some unnecessary problems.
However, the police made the crewman apologise to the visitor, it is said.
When contacted Emilie Noteboom, project coordinator
of MV Doulous, she denied all the charges and said they had come here only
to serve the people. "We have all kinds of books here including medical
and children's books. We are here to spread hope and happiness among people.
It is ridiculous to hear the charges against one of our crew-members,"
she said.
