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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Lok Sabha revokes suspension of 8 opposition MPs with immediate effect
New Delhi (PTI): The Lok Sabha on Tuesday revoked with immediate effect the suspension of eight opposition members, who were suspended from the House on February 3 for "unruly" behaviour, after Congress leader K Suresh requested the House to consider the matter.
Following the submissions by several opposition members, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said there was a need to draw a ‘Laxman Rekha’ for the smooth functioning of the House, which both treasury and opposition benches agreed to.
Speaker Om Birla said there is a need to ensure that no placards, posters, photos or AI-generated images are displayed in the House or inside the Parliament complex.
Rijiju then moved a motion to remove the suspension of seven Congress MPs and one CPI-M member, which was adopted by a voice vote.
The suspended MPs included Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Hibi Eden, C Kiran Kumar Reddy, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Manickam Tagore, Prashant Padole and Dean Kuriakose of the Congress, and S Ventakesan of the CPI(M).
The eight MPs were suspended on February 3 for “unruly” behaviour following a resolution passed by the Lok Sabha in the first half of the ongoing Budget session.
They were suspended for the entire duration of the Budget session scheduled to conclude on April 2.
VIDEO | Parliament Session: Congress MP Manickam Tagore (@manickamtagore) on suspension of opposition MPs being revoked, said, "Why did we protest? The question is very simple. LoP Rahul Gandhi was not allowed to complete his speech on the 'Motion of Thanks' to the President on… pic.twitter.com/Ign9orND4I
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 17, 2026
