Vinayaka Chathurthi: Don’t play politics

Chennai: Do not make politics out of Vinayaka Chathurthi, the Madras high court told a right wing organisation, and rejected its plea for permission to install Vinayaka idols in places other than those permitted by local police.
“Political parties seeking police permission to carry out processions have become a public nuisance. Police have other productive work to do,” Justice N Anand Venkatesh said on Wednesday.
The judge made the observations while hearing a plea moved by M Rajendran, state organising committee general secretary of the Indu Makkal Katchi, Tamil Nadu.He wanted the court to direct police to permit the organisation to install Vinayakar idols in Annur, Karamadai unions and Sirumugai areas of Coimbatore district. It also wanted police to permit them to light up the entire area surrounding the temple, place loudspeakers and to conduct games for children to promote spirituality.
Opposing the plea, Tamil Nadu government submitted that as per a government order passed by the state permission was being granted to all organisations after considering their applications by the local police in places where the idols had been permitted last year. However, in the case on hand, a person residing in Erode district is seeking permission to install idols in areas falling in Coimbatore district, it said.
Recording the submissions, the court rejected the plea and noted that the court was not inclined to entertain such petitions as they were intended to be performed for political motives.