<p>Mumbai: Mumbai’s apex body of Ganpati festival organisers on Wednesday appealed to keep the 11-day-long State Festival out of politics in the wake of Maharashtra’s mega municipal polls and called for promotion of Marathi culture and language. </p><p>The BrihanMumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshostav Samanvay Samiti (BSGSS), the apex body of Ganesh mandals in Mumbai, issued an appeal on the eve of Ganesh Chaturthi, seeking to keep the festival apolitical. </p>.YouTuber Atharva Sudame deletes video of him purchasing Ganesh idol from Muslim seller after criticism, apologises.<p>In fact, coming in the run up to the polls of the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), one of the biggest and the richest civic bodies, the festival in fact allows the political parties and politicians to launch an outreach and a sort of campaign. </p><p>The appeal was signed by BSGSS’ President Naresh Dahibawkar, Working President Kundan Agaskar and Chief Secretary Girish Walawalkar. </p><p>"Ganeshotsav is a devotional and cultural celebration and must be kept away from politics to retain its sanctity,” the three-page statement reads. </p><p>Citing the vision of Lokmanya Balgangadhar Tilak, who pioneered the Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav as a unifying movement in 1893, the apex committee appealed to mandals to promote the Marathi language and culture during the festivities. </p><p>"It is the responsibility of mandals to showcase the richness of Marathi heritage and pass it on to the younger generation," it said.</p>
<p>Mumbai: Mumbai’s apex body of Ganpati festival organisers on Wednesday appealed to keep the 11-day-long State Festival out of politics in the wake of Maharashtra’s mega municipal polls and called for promotion of Marathi culture and language. </p><p>The BrihanMumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshostav Samanvay Samiti (BSGSS), the apex body of Ganesh mandals in Mumbai, issued an appeal on the eve of Ganesh Chaturthi, seeking to keep the festival apolitical. </p>.YouTuber Atharva Sudame deletes video of him purchasing Ganesh idol from Muslim seller after criticism, apologises.<p>In fact, coming in the run up to the polls of the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), one of the biggest and the richest civic bodies, the festival in fact allows the political parties and politicians to launch an outreach and a sort of campaign. </p><p>The appeal was signed by BSGSS’ President Naresh Dahibawkar, Working President Kundan Agaskar and Chief Secretary Girish Walawalkar. </p><p>"Ganeshotsav is a devotional and cultural celebration and must be kept away from politics to retain its sanctity,” the three-page statement reads. </p><p>Citing the vision of Lokmanya Balgangadhar Tilak, who pioneered the Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav as a unifying movement in 1893, the apex committee appealed to mandals to promote the Marathi language and culture during the festivities. </p><p>"It is the responsibility of mandals to showcase the richness of Marathi heritage and pass it on to the younger generation," it said.</p>