The Greater Chennai Police has issued pointers for Hindus on tips on how to have fun the annual Vinayagar (Lord Ganesh) Chaturthi celebration, on the eve of the occasion.
Many take into account the 11 units of pointers issued by the police for Vinayagar Chaturthi celebrations to be draconian, making it difficult for Hindus to partake within the competition.
Some organisers advised The Commune that the setup course of for Vinayagar Pandals has change into excessively bureaucratic, burdensome, and taxing. doubtlessly resulting in delays or hindrances of their building.
Greater Chennai Police
On the event of Vinayagar Chaturthi, directions for the set up and worship of Vinayagar idols:
1. Land house owners the place Vinayagar idols are going to be put in should have obtained permission from native our bodies involved, Highway Department or… pic.twitter.com/hYsV5O2PMU
— GREATER CHENNAI POLICE -GCP (@chennaipolice_) September 17, 2023
Below are just a few directives issued by the police regarding the set up of idols, instructing organizers to acquire them.
1. Landowners, the place Vinayagar idols are going to be put in, should have obtained permission from native our bodies involved, the Highway Department or the Government Department.
2. Must have obtained a No Objection Certificate from the Fire Department, Electricity Board, and so forth.
3. Obtain permission from the police station officer involved by filling up the kinds for set up of Vinayagar idols, endeavor to abide by the restrictions and situations talked about therein.
4. The top of the statue to be put in shouldn’t exceed 10 ft from the bottom of the platform.
5. Installation of idols close to locations of Worship, Hospitals, and Educational establishments ought to be prevented.
6. Two volunteers ought to be deputed on a 24-hour rotation to make sure the protection of the idols.
7. Banners/billboards in help of any political events or spiritual leaders shouldn’t be positioned on the worship level.
8. Fire security guidelines and rules should be adopted, and electrical wire connections and pandals ought to be monitored periodically to keep away from accidents and mishaps.
9. Fire security guidelines and rules should be adopted, Electrical wire connections; Pandals ought to be monitored periodically to keep away from accidents and mishaps.
10. On days permitted by Police for immersion of Vinayagar idols, idols ought to be carried in permitted four-wheelers on permitted routes solely and peacefully immersed.
11. Bursting of firecrackers just isn’t allowed in locations the place Vinayagar idols are put in, procession routes and immersion Points.
Conversely, the Greater Chennai police have acknowledged that the utterance of slogans that incite “religious hatred” or “offend the sentiments of other religions” is prohibited.
This directive is perceived as imprecise and doubtlessly a way to clamp down on people related to a selected ideology, particularly given the present politically charged ambiance the place even chants of “Jai Shri Ram” are interpreted as “offensive to the sentiments of other religions.”
Additionally, there’s a prohibition on the usage of firecrackers through the procession for the immersion of Vinayagar idols. While it’s constructive that the Greater Chennai Police is implementing precautionary measures for a seamless competition celebration, it has sparked inquiries into why comparable issues weren’t demonstrated throughout AR Rahman’s latest live performance in Chennai.
The occasion turned chaotic with crowd mismanagement, stampede-like conditions, incidents of molestation in opposition to ladies, and extreme visitors congestion, resembling a nightmare.
