High Court slams activist for targetting only Hindu festivals

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September 11: Coming down heavily upon a so-called activist for targetting only Hindu religion and filing public interest litigation (PIL) to seek cheap publicity, Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court on Wednesday lashed out at such tendency of petitioners to file frivolous PILs which has potential to disturb communal harmony.
A division bench consisting of Justice Bhushan Gavai and Justice Vinay Deshpande scolded petitioner-Janardan Moon for targetting only Hindu traditions and Hindu festivals. Why no objection about wasting public money was raised when Government sanctioned crores forDeekshabhoomi, Tajabag beautification or Dragon Palace development, the High Court tersely asked while warning the petitioner to dismiss the petition with heavy cost.
Moon who heads Nagri Hakka Sanrakshan Manch had also filed a petition seeking ban on burning effigy of Ravan and this too had invited strong strictures from the High Court which had dismissed it with a cost of Rs 25,000. However, the same petitioner who challenged the Government decision to present awards to best decorated Ganesh to pay respect to Lokmanya Tilak who ignited flame of patriotism by starting Ganesh festival, came under fire before the High Court, which found the PIL as nothing but gross abuse of legal process and attempt to selectively target only Hindu festivals.
Recommending the petitioner to read Preamble of Indian Constitution to understand true meaning of word secularism and plural traditions of India, the High Court junked the PIL seeking to target Ganesh festival and awards announced by Maharashtra Government for best decoration of eco-friendly Ganesh to mark centenary of Lokmanya Tilak’s famous slogan “Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it”. The State Government has announced awards for Ganesh Mandals to promote themes like ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’, literacy, prohibition and water conservation and a GR was issued on July 27. The petitioner challenged this GR before the High Court dubbing it as violation of secularism and objected to state promoting one religion.
Completely rejecting this argument, the High Court found this objection totally baseless, misplaced and bereft of any fact and asked the petitioner why he maintained silence when taxpayers money was used for development of Deekshabhoomi, Tajuddin Dargah, Dragon Palace and other religious places and wondered as to why everytime there is any Hindu festival, petitioner suddenly becomes active to stop wastage of public money. After Ravan Dahan, Ganesh festival what’s next on your list– Navratri ? the High Court sarcastically asked while totally disapproving this attempt to garner cheap publicity by filing such vexatious litigation. Sensing trouble, the petitioner chose withdraw the plea when matter was placed for hearing. Adv Ashwin Ingole represented the petitioner.