An association of artisans who make idols of Lord Vinayagar using paper pulp and clay has moved the Madras High Court seeking a direction to the State government to permit installation of idols on road sides, streets and in public places during the ensuing Vinayagar Chathurthi celebrations.
Tamil Nadu Kaivinai Kagithakoozh Vinayagar Silaigal Matrum Kaliman Pommaigal Thayaripalargal Sangam, represented by its president K. Murugan, had filed the case claiming that it was unfair on the part of the government to have banned installation of idols due to threat of COVID-19.
The association claimed that only a floating population comes to worship the idols when they remain installed in a place for a few days and that a crowd gathers only on the day when these idols were taken on a procession to be immersed in the nearby sea or rivers or lakes.
This year, the government had organised a meeting with various Hindu Organisations on August 5. Police officials too participated in the meet when the organisations assured that they would avoid crowd during the immersion of the idols in order to prevent the spread of the pandemic.
Despite such assurance, the government had banned installation of idols, the association complained. On the other hand, one K. Ilanchelian of Tiruvannamalai has also filed a petition in the court to prevent Hindu Munnani from installing the idols in defiance of the ban.
He claimed that the Hindu Munnani leaders had planned to conduct Vinayagar Chathurthi celebrations at 1.5 lakh locations across the State in violation of the government decision to ban installation of idols and taking them on procession.
