Ganesh puja organizers, parties to stage protests in Telangana against HC's idol immersion ban

Angry over Ganesh idol immersion issue, parties demand Ordinance, saying the government is not doing enough to counter HC orders. 
A Ganesh idol being taken for immersion on a bullock cart, is stuck in traffic at NTR Marg, on Wednesday. (Photo | Vinay Madapu)
A Ganesh idol being taken for immersion on a bullock cart, is stuck in traffic at NTR Marg, on Wednesday. (Photo | Vinay Madapu)

HYDERABAD: The Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samithi (BGUS), BJP and VHP have announced that they will hold protests on Thursday, September 16, 2021, over the prevailing issue of Hussainsagar being closed off for immersion of Ganesh idols following the High Court orders. 

The BGUS, BJP and VHP have squarely blamed the State government for not putting in proper efforts to challenge the High Court orders.In a press meet on Wednesday, the BGUS lambasted the State government with regard to the confusion over the immersion of Ganesh idols in Hussainsagar. 

“The government has ample power to pass a suitable Ordinance to ensure the mass immersion of Ganesh idols like earlier years instead of creating confusion among the devotees. An appropriate Ordinance should be passed immediately to ensure the same or else the Samithi in association with devotees of Lord Ganesha and several Hindu organisations will hold protests in the city,” BGUS general secretary Bhagwanth Rao warned.

‘Negligent attitude’

As a protest against the “lethargic and negligent attitude of the government towards the sentiments of devotees”, the BGUS has decided to stage dharnas at 50 places in the city on Thursday. If the government does not initiate appropriate steps, the BGUS would call for a bandh as well, Bhagwanth Rao said. 

In a similar statement, BJP State vice-president Ch Ramachandra Reddy announced that the party’s cadre would be staging protests across all divisions of GHMC on Thursday, against the “deliberate attempts of the State government” to stop the immersion of Ganesh idols in Hussainsagar. Why didn’t the AG appear?

“Ever since the formation of Telangana, the State government has persistently been trying to shift the place of idol immersions to artificially created ponds at Indira Park,” they said in a statement.The BJP leaders claimed that the State government had not allowed the Advocate General to appear in court on September 7 due to fear of backlash from devotees.   

At his press meet, Bhagwanth Rao said: “The HC order said that immersion of idols in Hussainsagar will pollute the water body. However, statistical data by relevant authorities clearly establishes that there is no pollution before and after immersion of idols. Neither the Advocate General nor the Additional Advocate General represented the government in the subject.” Meanwhile, the VHP has called for State-wide protests as well as rasta rokos on Thursday, demanding that the State government pursue the Ordinance course. 

TRS govt has no foresight, fumes VHR

Hyderabad: Blaming the TRS government for creating confusion over Ganesh idol immersion, former MP V Hanumantha Rao opined that its “dithering” prompted the High Court to intervene in the issue. Speaking at Gandhi Bhavan, VHR said that court’s intervention followed the government’s indecisiveness over the matter. “If not Hussainsagar, give us an alternative. People should not suffer due to the negligent attitude of the government, which does not have any foresight,” the Congress leader added 

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