Cuttack: A public interest litigation (PIL) was filed with the Orissa High Court (HC) Tuesday challenging the restrictions imposed by the Commissionerate Police on community celebration of Ganesh puja in the twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.
In his PIL, ‘Cuttack Nagar Buddha Ganesh Puja Committee’ president Sibananda Kumar Hati has made the Chief Secretary, Special Relief Commissioner, Director General of Police, Police Commissioner, Cuttack Collector, Cuttack Deputy Commissioner of Police and Cuttack Municipal Corporation Commissioner as parties to the case.
Hati, a resident of Buxi Bazar in the Silver City, has informed the HC that the Millennium City has been hosting Ganesh puja for centuries now. “However, wary of the steady rise in COVID cases and deaths, the Commissionerate Police had decided not to permit community celebration of Ganesh Puja in the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, August 22. Banning the community level celebration of the puja is totally unfair particularly at a time when committees can ensure participation of a maximum of 10-20 people in the puja while adhering to COVID-19 guidelines,” Hati said, adding that it would also help ensure the continuation of the rich tradition in the twin cities.
Hati urged the HC to direct the parties to permit the conduct of Ganesh puja at the community level.