BJP slams govt for ‘compromising’ sanctity of Ganesha idol

Bengaluru: Karnataka BJP on Saturday came down heavily on the Congress government for “compromising” the sanctity of the Ganesha idol by placing it in a police vehicle in Bengaluru and sought an apology to the Hindu community.

Taking to social media platform X, State BJP President B. Y. Vijayendra said, “Ganesh Chaturthi is a symbol of religious devotion and cultural confluence for Hindus. It is a festival that transcends boundaries and regulations, celebrated with enthusiasm by people of all ages, from children to the elderly. In Hindu religious practices, the first worship is offered to Vinayaka (Ganesha), the remover of obstacles.”

“While it is acceptable to ensure that people’s emotional fervour does not affect law and order, imposing unnecessary guidelines in the name of maintaining peace, which hinders the freedom to celebrate the festival, is unacceptable,” he pointed out. Law and order enforcement’s inaction provides room for disruptive anti-festival groups to create disturbances during Ganesh processions, leading to chaos and violence, Vijayendra maintained.

“When members of the Bengaluru Metropolitan Ganesh Utsav Committee, while peacefully protesting with a Ganesha idol near Town Hall, they were detained and the Ganesha idol was also placed in the police vehicle, deeply hurting the religious sentiments of the Hindu community,” he underlined. The situation could have been handled delicately, ensuring that the “sanctity of the Ganesha idol was not compromised”, but, police acted in a rash and inappropriate manner, which is utterly condemnable, he stated. The government should immediately apologise to the Hindu society, he demanded.

The incident took place when Hindu organisations and members of the Ganesh Utsav committee on Friday staged a protest with the Ganesh idol, condemning the violence and rioting during the Ganesh Visarjan procession in Nagamangala town of Mandya district.