In the past, nationalists like Bal Gangadhar Tilak organised Ganpati festival to organise the countrymen. Tamil Nadu Government is now interdicting the traditional festivity. However, as an unintended consequence, the imposed restriction is again going to unite Hindus!
On August 9, 2018, the Government of Tamil Nadu issued an order which restricted the Hindus in their way of worship of Sri Vinayaka (Ganapati) in public and the ensuing processions. The order notified in the Gazette as ‘Guidelines for installation and worship of Vinayaka idols and also immersion thereof’ is a series of do’s and don’ts. The notification also includes the application form which the organisers are supposed to present to seek permission (NOC) from the district administration.
A view of Vinayaka procession in Tamil Nadu
Such a diktat, purportedly following the 2017 order of the High Court, has irked the Hindus in the state. Hindu Munnani has been at the forefront in agitating against this blatant anti-Hindu order of the state
government.
Speaking to Organiser, Shri Rajesh of Hindu Munnani informs that the Government has hurt Hindu sentiments all over the State and it will be opposed at any cost. “Our State president of Hindu Munnani is on a hunger strike in Chennai since the 12th of this month. He is on an indefinite fast until the order is withdrawn.” When asked if the Government or the administration approached them to understand their concerns, he says that a police officer was sent only to stop the hunger strike by citing procedures.
Members of Hindu Munnani protesting against the Government Order in Chennai
As per the Government Order (GO), an organiser who wishes to install the idol of Vinayaka and take out a procession before immersion is a potential threat to peace, tranquillity, public safety and a source of pollution! Though this seems outrageous, the GO in specific terms calls for strict implementation with ‘immediate effect’.
Resisting the Order
Ram Gopalan, founder president of Hindu Munnani, sat on a hunger strike on September 12 to protest against the anti-Hindu order.
The 1980’s was the era when Dravidian politics was at its peak. Anti-Hindu agitation was the order of the day. The entire Government and administration were out to undermine Hindu interests. It was then that Hindu Munnani initiated public celebration of Vinayaka Chathurti festival 34 years ago for the sake of unification of the Hindu society in the State. Since then the number of public pandals and processions have increased every year. Today in Tamil Nadu Vinayaka is worshipped in more than 1 and a half lakh places in public, and nearly 30,000 processions take place before immersion. It has not only strengthened the faith of Hindus in them but has also brought in harmony among all Hindus.
However, the recent GO restraining this important festival of Hindus is seen as an attempt to force Hindus on the back foot and bring in divisive Dravidian politics again for the sake of votes. Appeasing the minorities is also the aim of this move say Hindu leaders from Tamil Nadu.
“Lord Vinayaka is worshipped all across the world and country. He is also the ‘Manasa Putra’ of Tamil Nadu. Ganapati is associated with Tamil people since the time of Puranas. Hindu Munnani started the unification of Hindu society 34 years ago with Vinayaka Chaturthi celebrations in public with the aim of removing barriers within the Hindu society and bringing bonhomie within us. Now it is time for Hindus to unite, become aware and stand up for their right to celebrate Vinayaka festival.”—Ram Gopalan, founder president, Hindu Munnani
An organiser of the Vinayaka procession and pandal has to get a NOC from different departments. One has to get permission from the electricity board, the police, seek separate permission for the use of speakers and many such demands. The government order lists 24 guidelines which are to be followed by every organiser. Such demands are designed to delay and deter anyone from organising the public festival and procession. Ram Gopalan is on a hunger strike to protest against these very designs. The Hindu community has expressed its support to the protest of Hindu Munnani.
Move Unites Hindus
Seeing the Hindu backlash, reports were suggesting that the GO has been withdrawn. Rajesh of Hindu Munnani informs that this is not true. “The GO has not been withdrawn. The police had called out volunteers on 12th evening and detested us from going on this protest. But seeing the widespread anger and response from the Hindus, the government is on a back foot now. Hindus have gone ahead with the public celebrations and processions. The police and administration are silent only temporarily. Once the festivities end after 2-3 days, the police will file cases against the organisers is our guess.” he says.
Restrictions on Ganapathi in Karnataka too!
The so-called ‘secular’ political dispensations take it upon themselves to rein in Hindus in the garb of appeasing the minorities. Similar to Tamil Nadu, the Cong-JDS Government in Karnataka had ordered several restrictions on celebrations of Ganapathi in public. The initial Government order had mentioned that all Ganapathi pandals in public have to deposit an amount of Rs. 5000 and obtain a NOC from the corporation. It had led to anger among the public, and few had even threatened to take legal action against the government’s biased order. However, the GO was modified, and small roadside pandals were exempted from depositing the money. Large pandals were still required to follow the order as per a circular released later. Hindu activists pointed out the hypocrisy in the way governments handle public celebrations of different religions. There were no restrictions or GO issued during Muharram or ID celebrations when entire areas and public roads are occupied for praying, and processions.No Church has been asked to deposit any amount for their yearly processions or public events. Girish Bharadwaj, an RTI activist and member of Bharata Punarutthana Trust questioned this very duplicity and threatened to go legal against the government biased attitude. “Pubs and bars can be opened till 1 a.m but Ganesotsava processions have to end by 10 PM”, says Girish highlighting the hypocrisy of the administration and police. If we don’t get a satisfactory response from the police, we will file a petition in the High Court says Girish. Fearing a public backlash, the already beleaguered government seems to have restrained the police and administration from implementing the order. Though none of the organisers seems to have been harassed, the numbers of Ganapathi pandals have drastically reduced mostly due to the confusion created by the order.
While implementing the recommendations of the High Court is the prerogative of the State Government, there are ways to implement the same taking into the sentiments of the people into consideration. This is the same Government that plays dead when the same court recommends no use of loudspeakers early mornings or late nights and not one Mosque is ordered to restrain. The same
government stays silent when Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960 is violated each year during Bakrid. Such impromptu zeal to restrict Hindus has only one agenda, which is to rein them before they unite.
Balagangadhara Tilak used Ganapathi celebrations to bring the Hindus together and fight against the colonial forces. It did have a lasting effect and was a huge success during the freedom struggle. Today, in Tamil Nadu it seems history repeats and Ganapathi is uniting Hindus again to fight the anti-Hindu forces. As Ganapathi/Vinayaka is invoked at the beginning of every Hindu ceremony, one hopes that this coming of Hindus together for the cause of Vinayaka marks the beginning of the era of Hindu unity in Tamil Nadu.
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