TRS govt under pressure over idols’ immersions

With bike rallies, indefinite fast agitations, and accusations of hurting Hindu sentiments, the Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samithi (BGUS) is building pressure on the K Chandrasekhar Rao government to allow the immersion of Ganesh idols, including the Plaster of Paris (PoP) made, in the Hussain Sagar lake.

The Samithi, an umbrella body of thousands of Ganesh pandal organisers across the twin cities, oversees the arrangements for the 10th-day Shobha Yatra that culminates in the immersion of the deity’s idols in waterbodies.

It has the backing of the BJP and is run by people connected with various Hindu organisations, like the VHP.

Similar to the use of the word Bhagyanagar for Hyderabad, the Samithi, like other saffron units, refers to the iconic lake in the heart of the city as Vinayaka Sagar, for the non-potable water lake has been the most preferred spot for Ganesh immersion in the city for decades, including that of the famous, mammoth Khairatabad statue.

However, the Hussain Sagar immersions have become a contentious issue for the TRS government to deal with lately, especially following the Telangana high court orders last year banning the PoP idols’ immersions in the lake.

The Supreme Court provided relief by allowing PoP immersions one last time last year.

While reviewing petitions questioning the pollution caused by the PoP and artificial colours, the high court stated that the Hyderabad civic body should make alternate arrangements like artificial ponds.

However, the BGUS is opposed to immersions in these artificial and mini-makeshift ponds.

“The worshipped idols should be only submerged in naturally formed waterbodies or where rainwater collects, not in those GHMC-made ponds filled with “impure” water”, Dr Bhagavanth Rao, general secretary, BGUS, tells DH.

While some organisers are moving towards installing clay, eco-friendly Ganeshas, the BGUS admits that the PoP use is still large. While some reports claim that the 50-foot Khairatabad Ganesh is mainly made with clay this year, BGUS differs saying that such big idols are impossible to erect with just clay.

“In the market, we are sold “clay idols”, but who will verify what material they are really made of? Our demand is that the state government should allow and make arrangements for the immersion of every idol, be it PoP or clay at the Vinayaka Sagar. If the court orders are prohibitive, let it bring an ordinance, like the TN had on Jallikattu, to allow the immersions,” Rao says.

The BGUS and the BJP are upset that the TRS administration or the GHMC haven’t done more to prepare for immersions in the Hussain Sagar Tank Bund even though this year’s Nimajjanam is on Friday.

On Monday, BJP state unit chief Bandi Sanjay warned that all the Ganesh idols would be brought to the Pragathi Bhavan, CM Rao’s palatial office-cum-residence, if they are not allowed to be immersed in Hussain Sagar.

In response to the pollution worries, the BGUS notes that the PoP idols were removed from the lake within a day.

“Unfortunately, the TRS government is systematically creating hurdles for Hindu festivals, be Holi or Diwali while at the same time it extends support to those of Muslims and Christians, organising Iftar parties etc., with public money,” Ravinuthala Sasidhar, secretary, BGUS, and Telangana VHP joint secretary, told DH.

On Tuesday, after the Hyderabad police foiled the BGUS attempt to take out a bike rally around the lake and detained several activists, Bhagavanth Rao and others sat on a fast protest, first at a police station and later at the BGUS office, demanding an assurance from the government to allow idols’ immersions at the Hussain Sagar.