There are protests in Mysuru district’s T. Narasipura against remarks by Inspector Dhananjay during a peace meeting held ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations. A video of the police officer talking about Ganesh processions and loudspeakers has gone viral on social media, and the Hindu community as well as politicians have reacted with strong condemnation.
The video on the Internet said Inspector Dhananjay told the organisers that a Ganesh procession should not pass in front of a mosque. He also advised that strict action would be taken if firecrackers were burst near the mosque during the celebrations. His comments, made while discussing arrangements for keeping peace during the festival, have been at the centre of heated debate.
The inspector told the press that the procession route should be informed to the police in advance and that the Ganesh idol should be installed along the approved procession route. He also said that police are going to be deployed near the sensitive places to maintain security. Firecrackers have been the focus of social media.
The police officer also talked about sound systems during the Ganesh procession. According to the viral video, the organisers were instructed to include details about the roads through which the procession would pass, while DJ-style loudspeakers were not allowed. The comments were apparently made in the context of law and order and preventing clashes during the festival.
But the tone of the comments has drawn criticism from many Hindu groups and young people who felt threatened by what they felt was threatening language from a police official. This became more acute when former Mysuru MP Pratap Simha’s reaction to the video was strong.
Pratap Simha also criticised Inspector Dhananjay's delivery of the address to the gathering. “A police inspector who is responsible for a police force should speak respectfully and exercise restraint in a peace meeting with different communities,” said Pratap Simha.
The inspector's manner of speaking, as Pratap Simha said, was inappropriate and was akin to someone creating a disturbance on the roadside. He questioned if such language was fit for an officer in a position of authority. Simha said that people in a position of authority must know what their office is and behave with dignity.
The former MP also issued another harsh warning, saying if the inspector spoke similarly again, he would enter the police station. Simha’s comments have added another layer to the controversy as what began as a debate on Ganesh Chaturthi procession arrangements has transformed into a political and public debate.
Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations are often accompanied by processions, music, public gatherings and immersion, and the need for coordination of the organisers and law enforcement is very apparent. Police departments typically issue route, timing, sound-system and safety guidelines before big religious processions to keep things calm and orderly and to take care of the people.
And the T. Narasipura controversy has raised the issue of the language used by public officials to communicate such restrictions. With the inspector's remarks spreading on social media, such problems may continue to be discussed as authorities and organisers prepare for Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations.
The situation shows festival-based law-and-order arrangements to be sensitive, especially in mixed-population neighbourhoods where religious processions are happening. The police and political leaders would be required to cooperate with the police and follow rules and regulations as they are required to do so.
As the video continues to spread online, how the Mysuru district administration and police department respond to the controversy and whether any clarification will be provided on Inspector Dhananjay's remarks is now the focus of the discussion.
