State president of Hindu Munnani, Kadeswara C. Subramaniam on Tuesday urged the Tamil Nadu government to withdraw the ban on public celebrations of Vinayaka Chathurthi, announced in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a statement, he announced that demonstrations will be held at all temples in the State on Thursday condemning the State government. Recalling that the AIADMK government last year consulted with religious leaders on the Vinayaka Chathurthi celebrations and allowed them with restrictions in place, Mr. Subramaniam alleged that the DMK government has now announced a ban on celebrations in public with no such consultations in a “dictatorial” manner.
He questioned the decision of reopening of schools, cinema theatres, parks and swimming pools (announced after the decrease in COVID-19 cases) and further claimed that the State government has been restricting the celebrations of only one religion citing the pandemic. [The government has restricted celebrations of all religious festivities in public till September 15.]
As part of the lockdown extension, the State government announced on Monday that installation of Vinayaka idols in public places, undertaking processions to immerse the idols in beaches and water bodies will be banned this year. Requesting people to celebrate the festival at their homes, the announcement added that only individuals would be allowed to immerse their idols in water bodies and not organisations.
Mr. Subramaniam earlier announced that the Hindu Munnani was planning to install idols at 1.25 lakh locations across the State and would carry out processions to immerse idols in water bodies after nine days of celebrations.
