The Madras High Court on Thursday asked the State government to explore the possibility of making minor changes to the ban imposed on taking Vinayaka idols in procession and immersing them during the Vinayaka Chaturthi celebrations in a bid to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Justices M.M. Sundresh and R. Hemalatha asked Advocate General Vijay Narayan to find out the same purely in the interest of artisans, who claim to have laboured hard for six months to make the idols, but now face huge losses.
The judges suggested that the government could permit small groups to carry the idols and immerse them so that the idols would get sold. They said all safety measures, such as physical distancing and other norms, could be ordered to be followed.
Making it clear that it was only a suggestion, the judges said the government officials would be free to come up with their own ideas. Since Vinayaka Chaturthi is on Saturday, the Bench asked the A-G to ascertain the government’s stand by Friday.
The instructions were issued during the hearing of a public interest litigation petition. On his part, the A-G told the court that the government had banned installation of idols in public places, taking them in procession and immersing them. However, it had made it clear that people could celebrate the festival within the confines of their homes.
Since 20,204 small temples situated in villages and other rural areas had already been opened for public worship and only 21,131 other temples remain shut due to COVID-19, people were free to worship in the temples that had already been opened, subject to maintenance of all safety norms, he said.
He said the government had also asked people to follow physical distancing norms and wear face masks while visiting shops and markets to purchase goods required for the celebrations.
PIL dismissed
Meanwhile, the Madurai Bench on Thursday dismissed a PIL seeking a direction to the State to permit the conduct of Vinayaka Chaturthi celebrations.
A Division Bench of Justices M. Sathyanarayanan and P. Rajamanickam dismissed the petition filed by B. Ramaswamy of Thoothukudi. The court observed that the whole country had turned into a hotspot/red zone and even advanced countries were struggling with the COVID-19 situation.
During the hearing, the A-G submitted that the government had issued guidelines taking into account the pandemic situation. Installation and procession of idols in public and their immersion in waterbodies were not permitted. The government has urged the people to celebrate the festival in their homes, he said.
Taking into account the submission, the court said that the decision taken by the government could not be faulted. In the considered opinion of the court, religious practices should yield to practical difficulties like the COVID-19 situation, the judges said.
