Miscreants tarnish spirit of Ganesh Chathurthi in Maddur
In the pre-independence era, public celebrations of Ganesh Chathurthi carried a noble purpose. Leaders like Bal Gangadhar Tilak used the festival not merely as a religious gathering but as a rallying point to awaken patriotic fervour against British rule. Religion, culture, and spirituality were the vehicles through which national unity was built. Those motives were pure.
But in today’s India, that legacy has been corroded. Instead of uniting people, some political leaders have reduced Ganesh Chathurthi to a stage for division and hatred. Lord Ganesha, revered as the remover of obstacles, is being misused by cynical forces as a tool to create obstacles in society for petty political gain. Nothing could be a greater insult to the spirit of this festival.
The disturbing events in Maddur, Mandya district, show how deeply this rot has spread. What should have been a joyous immersion procession ended in violence, with stone-pelting and a police lathi-charge. Videos now reveal that miscreants within the procession itself hurled stones at a mosque, while hurling filthy, abusive slogans against an entire community. These were not acts of devotion but calculated attempts to provoke communal clashes. Even senior police officials have clarified that no stones came from the mosque, exposing the false claims made by Sangh Parivar groups.
This was no spontaneous outburst. The videos show it was premeditated. Instead of chanting prayers to Lord Ganesha, a group led by a woman weaponised obscenities to vilify Muslims. When their provocations failed, they turned to stoning the mosque. Shockingly, BJP workers are now parading these very miscreants as “Hindu activists.” By legitimising such impostors, leaders themselves are desecrating Ganesh Chathurthi and reducing it to a political weapon.
What happened in Maddur is not an isolated episode. In Raichur, two young men pelted stones during a procession not out of communal hatred but personal enmity. Yet, communal groups were ready to exploit the incident to blame Muslims and incite violence. In Sagara too, when two children spat from a terrace, miscreants tried to spin it into a riot. These repeated attempts reveal a dangerous pattern: festivals are being hijacked by troublemakers whose only aim is to ignite divisions.
If those behind such actions truly valued the festival, they would never indulge in such behaviour. It is now the responsibility of genuine devotees to reclaim Ganesh Chathurthi from impostors in saffron scarves who pollute its sacredness with hatred. True devotion lies in humility, respect, and unity, not in manufactured clashes.
Mandya, once proudly known as the “Sugar Bowl” of Karnataka, is paying a heavy price for this toxic politics. Farmers and ordinary citizens, who once made this region flourish, are being pushed into the background while communal poison takes centre stage. The tragic example of Mangaluru, once celebrated for education and healthcare but later scarred by communal strife, stands as a warning. If Mandya’s people do not resist these forces now, they risk the same fate.
The JD(S), weakened and desperate to retain political ground, has now taken refuge in communal politics. By joining hands with these forces, it is sacrificing Mandya’s harmony for survival. The farmers of this land must rise above these divisive games and protect the soul of their district.
Lord Ganesha has always symbolised prosperity and bounty. For Mandya’s farmers, his blessing should mean better harvests, not police curfews. The festival must return to its roots of devotion and unity. The obstacles planted by politicians and miscreants must be removed, so that Mandya once again sweetens lives, not with hatred, but with sugar and prosperity.
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Husband has to equally participate in household chores as he is not marrying a maid: SC
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Friday said a husband has to equally participate in household chores like cooking, cleaning and washing as he is not marrying a maid but a life partner.
The observations came from a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta which was hearing a petition filed by a man challenging an order of the Karnataka High Court.
The high court had set aside a trial court order granting divorce to the man on the ground of cruelty.
During the hearing before the apex court, the counsel appearing for the man said the mediation between the parties had failed.
He said the marriage between the parties took place in May 2017 and since 2019, the couple is separated.
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"I (man) want a divorce. The trial court granted a divorce on the ground of cruelty," the counsel said.
The bench asked what the cruelty was as alleged in the matter.
The counsel appearing for the man said the woman had indulged in improper behaviour and was not cooking food.
"You have to equally participate in all these. Cooking, cleaning, washing, everything. Today's times are different," Justice Nath observed, adding the high court was right that it might not be a ground for cruelty.
"You are not marrying a maid. You are marrying a life partner," Justice Mehta observed.
The bench was told that both of them were working in a government school.
"Call both parties physically. We would like to speak to them," the bench said.
It posted the matter for hearing on April 27 and asked both parties to remain present before it.
