English translation of 'Hawthan' released

August 28, 2011

Mangalore, Aug 28: Taranga Kannada weekly Managing Editor Sandhya Pai released'The Kiln,' the English translation of 'Hawthan' at World Konkani Centre (WKC) on Saturday.

Hawthan,' a Konkani novel by Mahabaleshwar Sail had won the Vimala V Pai Vishwa Konkani Sahitya Puraskar in 2010 and is presently translated into English by Vidya Pai.

"Only when one documents his or her experiences, fine literature is created which can be shared with others," Sandhya Pai said. "I have come across several such literary works which remains with the reader and impacts his life. An incident may look simple but will always have a deep background," she added

Introducing the novel, World Konkani Centre (WKC) Member Melvyn Rodrigues said Hawthan which means Kiln, revolves around the life of the Potter community.

Mahabaleshwar Sail has beautifully worded the struggle, pain, ideas of this community and also shown the disappearing trend of pottery with modernisation. Speaking about his experiences while writing the book, Sail said he has seen the life of these potters closely. Researching about them for three years, he could feel sensitivity seeing their hunger and struggle to make a decent livelihood. “Experiences are the teacher of literature,” he said.

Sail who was also a soldier, questions the audience about war. “Countries around the world are spending crores in creating hi-tech weapons, to kill people,” he says and reveals that as a soldier, he has come across several incidents which have touched his life.

The book launch was followed by the screening of Konkani film “Palthadcho Manis”.

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HC refuses to quash probe against Mangaluru WhatsApp admin over offensive posts

News Network

February 1,2026

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has refused to quash an investigation against a WhatsApp group administrator accused of allowing the circulation of obscene and offensive images depicting Hindutva politicians and idols in 2021.

Justice M Nagaprasanna observed that, prima facie, the ingredients of the offence under Section 295A of the Indian Penal Code were made out. “The offence under Section 295A of the IPC is met to every word of its ingredient, albeit prima facie,” the judge said.

The petitioner, Sirajuddin, a resident of Belthangady taluk in Dakshina Kannada district, had challenged the FIR registered against him at the CEN (Cyber, Economics and Narcotics) police station, Mangaluru, for offences under Section 295A of the IPC and Section 67 of the Information Technology Act. Section 295A relates to punishment for deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage the religious feelings of any class of citizens.

According to the complaint filed by K Jayaraj Salian, also a resident of Belthangady taluk, he received a WhatsApp group link from an unknown source and was added to the group after accessing it. The group reportedly had six administrators and around 250 participants, where obscene and offensive images depicting Hindu deities and certain political figures were allegedly circulated repeatedly.

Sirajuddin was arrested in connection with the case and later released on bail on February 16, 2021. He argued before the court that he was being selectively targeted, while other administrators—including the creator of the group—were neither arrested nor investigated. He also contended that the Magistrate could not have taken cognisance of the offence under Section 295A without prior sanction under Section 196(1) of the CrPC.

Rejecting the argument, Justice Nagaprasanna held that prior sanction is required only at the stage of taking cognisance, and not at the stage of registration of the crime or during investigation.

The judge noted that the State had produced the entire investigation material before the court. “A perusal of the material reveals depictions of Hindu deities in an extraordinarily obscene, demeaning and profane manner. The content is such that its reproduction in a judicial order would itself be inappropriate,” the court said, adding that the material, on its face, had the tendency to outrage religious feelings and disturb communal harmony.

Observing that the case was still at the investigation stage, the court said it could not interdict the probe at this juncture. However, it expressed concern that the investigating officer appeared to have not proceeded uniformly against all administrators. The court clarified that if the investigation revealed the active involvement of any member in permitting the circulation of such content, they must also be proceeded against.

“At this investigative stage, any further observation by this Court would be unnecessary,” the order concluded.

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