HC moved to restrain installations of Ganesh idols on roads

CHENNAI: A litigant has filed public interest litigation before the Madras High Court seeking direction to the government to regulate the act of installing Ganesh idols on roads ahead of Vinayagar Chaturthi in the state.

The petitioner named K Gopinath, president of Hindu Munnetra Kazhagam from Palladam had approached the HC claiming that the plea was filed for avoiding conflicts during the Chaturthi celebrations on August 31.

The petitioner cited several law and order problems that occurred in the Coimbatore and Tirupur districts due to the Vinayagar Chaturthi rallies.

“Permission should not be accorded to processions and public meetings on behalf of individual organizations during the Vinayagar Chaturthi festival. In addition to this, the days and timings of immersion of Ganesh idols should be regulated properly, ” the petitioner said in his affidavit.

He further pointed out that the Maharashtra government had banned the act of installing Ganesh idols on the roads and allowed people to do rituals only inside the halls.

Gopinath asked the court to issue direction to monitor the manner in which the religious outfits are collecting funds for Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations.