Height of Ganesha idols will not be reduced: MSPGFC

Jyeshtha Shuddha Pratipada

Mumbai: In the city of Mumbai, 64 flyovers are under construction at various places. The Government is, therefore, following up with the Ganesha Festival Committees for reduction of height of Sree Ganesha idols. But MSPGFC have taken a stand that the Government should increase the height of flyovers since it did not discuss the matter with the Committee before taking up the flyover project. (Ganesha idol should be made of clay as per science and have height of maximum 5 feet if consecrated in public celebration. Such competition in height of the idols will lessen the sanctity of the festival. If festival is celebrated as per the science, it would not even hamper the development project undertaken by the Government. Will the office bearers of MSPGFC realize this? – Editor)

A meeting of office bearers of the Ganesha festival Committees was convened at Raja Shivaji Vidyalaya. The meeting was attended by Jyotirbhaskar Jayant Salgaokar, coordinator of Maharashtra Ganesha Festival Committee, Shri. Leeladhar Dhake, a Shiv Sena leader, Shri. Vinod Ghosalkar, secretary of Western Suburbs for Shiv Sena and Shri. Pandurang Jadhav, coordinator of MSPGFC among others. ‘Lalbaug cha Raja’ Ganesha Festival Committee was, last year, asked to pay fine for 5 days for giving instructions to devotees on loudspeaker, late in the night causing noise pollution. The same rule is, however, not applicable to Muslims. Mumbai Municipal Corporation has now declared many areas as ‘Silence Zones’. Where then Ganesha Festival is to be celebrated? The Government seems to be against public celebration of Ganesha Festival and it is raising all sorts of objections. The Ganesha Committees should, therefore, be vigilant and start protesting against the Government from now itself. Shri. Dahibaokar made this appeal on behalf of the Committee.

Members of Ganesha Festival Committees should start hunger strike – Jyotirbhaskar Salgaokar

To oppose the stance taken by the State Government against celebration of Ganesha festival, a committee should be formed comprising of 15-20 members to oppose the Government as need be. If required, 2100 workers should go on hunger strike sitting in front of the statue of Lokmanya Tilak, said Jyotirbhaskar Jayant Salgaonkar, President of Maharashtra Public Ganesha Festival Coordination Committee.

PoP idols do not cause water pollution!

The Government claims that idols made of Plaster of Paris (PoP) cause water pollution. As per the research undertaken by scientists at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), the idols made of PoP dissolve in water and do not cause water pollution. The above views have been presented on behalf of MSPGFC.

Source: Dainik Sanatan Prabhat