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High Court calls for restraint on Ganesh height
The High Court at Hyderabad has appealed to Ganesh Utsav Committee to have a self-imposed restraint on the height of Ganesh idols for the coming festival season. It also expressed its opinion that it is wrong to connect the height of Ganesh idol to religious sentiment of people.
​Hyderabad: The High Court at Hyderabad has appealed to Ganesh Utsav Committee to have a self-imposed restraint on the height of Ganesh idols for the coming festival season. It also expressed its opinion that it is wrong to connect the height of Ganesh idol to religious sentiment of people.
A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Dilip B Bhosale and Justice P Naveen Rao expressed this opinion while hearing a petition relating to Ganesh idols’ immersion and environmental aspects.
The counsel for the GHMC informed the Bench that its suggestion of capping the height of idols to 15 feet was put up at a joint meeting of officials and Ganesh Utsav Committee. But the Utsav Committee rejected it saying that such a restriction would hurt the religious sentiments of the people.
Counsel for Ganesh Utsav Committee L Ravichander pointed out that only 10 per cent of the idols being immersed in Tank Bund were above 15 feet.
The Bench clarified that it would not order any restriction of height but left it to the parties to have self-imposed regulations regarding this. It said it is up to the people to decide whether sentiment is more important or development. It, however, made it clear that in its opinion it is wrong to connect height of idol with religious sentiment of people.
The Bench also ordered authorities to build separate enclosures in Hussainsagar and other lakes of the city for immersing the idols well before the start of the festival so that the rest of the water is not polluted. It also urged upon the makers of idols to use more environmental-friendly material in the making of idols.
However, talking to The Hans India, the Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samithi said Courts cannot interfere with religious matters. Samithi leader Bhagwanth Rao said that the court had not given any directions regarding the height of the idols.
He asked the media not to misinterpret. The court had only expressed its opinion but no direction was given, he said. Rao said it has been 35 years now and it is not a new phenomenon. He said that Court has already made it clear that lake is not polluted because of Ganesh idols.
“The idol immersion will take place in Hussainsagar and devotees can have idols of any height,” Rao added. CPI state secretary Chada Venkat Reddy opined that the height of Ganesh idols should not be more than 10 feet.
Some organisations with vested interests have been making mountain out of molehill. Chada said that there should be a limit to religious faith and the height of the idols cannot be gauged with the faith.
He said idols with less height not only prevent several accidents but also makes the immersion process fast. TPCC chief spokesperson Dasoju Sravan said that the High Court’s guidelines should be honoured as it has not imposed its directive but appealed for self-imposed restrictions.
He said that Telangana was slowly being transformed into a State, where religious festivities are being looked upon as an opportunity for maintaining the supremacy and political clout.
