God is not a tool for rivalry or a means of asserting dominance, said the Madras High Court recently on finding that several litigants before it were motivated by their egos, not faith, in seeking to install Lord Ganesha idols for Vinayaka Chaturthi celebrations [S Kumar & Ors v Commissioner of Police & Ors and connected cases].
A Bench of Justice B Pugalendhi observed,
“This Court cannot ignore the underlying motivations in some cases. Most of the present requests appear to be driven by ego clashes and a desire to assert monetary influence, rather than genuine religious intent. This Court strongly deprecates the practice of roping in divinity to settle personal scores or display social dominance. God is not a tool for rivalry; He is a symbol of unity, peace, and spiritual elevation.”
The Court took judicial notice of the fact that while Vinayagar temples at street corners remain neglected throughout the year, elaborate efforts are made to install giant idols during the festival.
"This paradox calls for introspection among devotees. True devotion lies not in grandeur but in consistent reverence and upkeep of places of worship," the Court added.
The Court also underscored that it is important to ensure that idol installations made during the celebrations do not result in public disturbance or environmental destruction.
"Devotion to God cannot be allowed to result in disturbance to man or destruction of nature. True worship lies in harmony - harmony among communities through peace and order, and harmony with creation through protection of the environment," it held.
It found that many of the petitioners before the Court had filed last-minute applications for permission to install idols, leaving very little time for the authorities to ensure that environmental and public-order requirements would be adhered to if permission is granted.
"Last-minute applications cannot be entertained, especially when they involve public installations requiring coordination across multiple departments," it said.
However, the Court also criticised the authorities for not dealing with such applications in the prescribed manner, or for granting selective permissions.
"Selective approval is not in consonance with the principles of fairness and equality. Either all similarly placed applicants must be permitted, or none. Discrimination in granting permission, especially in matters involving religious expression, can lead to unnecessary friction and undermine public trust," it said.
The Court noted that it was not possible for it to adjudicate on many of the petitions before it, as they involved last-minute applications for permission. However, it proceeded to deal with a few of them on a case-by-case basis.
In some cases, the Court asked the authorities to consider the applications and ensure that idol immersions are done in an eco-friendly manner, in strict compliance with 2018 guidelines issued by the State government.
No immersion should be permitted in a manner that could pollute water bodies, the Court added.
"Before immersion, organisers must obtain a certificate from the competent authority confirming that the idol is free from restricted materials such as plaster of Paris, chemical paints or other non-biodegradable substances. Only idols certified as eco-friendly shall be permitted for immersion in natural water bodies. Insofar as the uncertified idols are concerned, the organisers should take steps to immerse such idols in artificial water bodies," the Court directed in its August 26 order.
[Read Order]