Immersion of Ganesh PoP idols in Hussainsagar: Contempt case filed for violating orders

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court’s division bench of CJ Alok Aradhe and Justice J Sreenivas Rao on Monday adjudicated the contempt case filed by social activist and advocate Mamidi Venu Madhav seeking a direction to all the government officers for violating the HC order of September 9, 2021 directing the government “not to immerse Ganesh idols made of plaster of paris” (PoP) in Hussainsagar, as they cause pollution and damages the lake.

The government has been violating the court orders. This year also it decided to immerse PoP idols in Hussainsagar. A meeting was held on August 28 at Dr. MCR HRD when ministers Ponnam Prabhakar, Sreedhar Babu, Mayor, all CPs, DGP and officials from the Revenue and MAUD attended. The meeting decided to install 33 cranes around the lake for immersion of PoP idols in blatant violation of HC orders. When the contempt case was heard, Additional A-G Imran Khan sought a week’s time to file the government’s response on the issue.

The petitioner the AAG’s contention stating every year the government counsels are seeking time and blatantly violating the HC orders. The CJ, disagreeing with the petitioner, observed that he had approached the court with the issue in the 11th hour and brings pressure which amounts to blackmailing. The bench adjourned the case to September 9, directing the government to file its response. As an order exists on the issue, appropriate orders will be passed, the CJ observed.

PIL seeking direction to Smita Sabharwal to delete tweets against DAPs dismissed

On Monday the division bench “dimissed” the PIL (at scrutiny stage) filed by social activist Vasundhara Koppula, seeking a direction to Smita Sabharwal, member-secretary, Telangana State Finance Commission, to delete controversial insensitive remarks against the differently abled persons through her X account @SmitaSabharwal.

The CJ, during the hearing, observed “the controversial remarks of Smita Sabharwal have not deprived the differently abled persons of their reservations… “Nobody is taking away the reservations of the physically handicapped persons based on her remarks” which is guaranteed to them by the Constitution.

Moreover, her remarks are personal opinions which have no bearing on the policy decision of the government; every person has a right to freedom of expression and speech, which is enjoyed by a citizen. The CJ was not convinced by the petitioner’s counsel who informed the court that the remarks of Smita grossly affected the right to life and right to live with dignity of differently abled persons across the country; and that “the remarks are her personal opinion”. Smitha Sabharwal had made the comments referring to Puja Khedkar whose candidature was recently cancelled by the UPSC as she allegedly faked her identity to gain more attempts than permitted by under the disabled quota.