Raipur
Tension prevailed in Lakhe Nagar, Raipur, after a row broke out over the installation of an AI-created idol of Lord Ganesh at a pandal set up by the Sindhi Yuva Ekta Ganesh Utsav Committee. Members of Ram Bhakt Sena and other Hindu organisations staged a protest outside the pandal, demanding the idol’s immersion. They declared that the agitation would continue until the idol was removed.
The protest led to a road blockade in Lakhe Nagar, causing traffic jams on both sides. Station House Officers (SHOs) from 12 police stations and heavy police deployment were rushed to the spot. After persuasion from the police and administration, the idol was covered with a curtain. Mild force was also used to disperse the crowd. The protest lasted for nearly four hours before the Hindu organisations called it off.
The organisations alleged that late at night, obscene and filmi songs were played at the pandal, and objectionable dance programmes were organised. Following a complaint, Azad Chowk police registered a case. The complainants claimed that the committee had earlier been instructed to install the idol in its traditional form but went ahead with altering the deity’s appearance.
Even amid the chaos, devotees continued to visit the pandal, clicking pictures of Lord Ganesh. Bajrang Dal activists were seen singing devotional songs of Lord Hanuman while the stage lights were switched off during the commotion.
Nilkantheshwar Maharaj, priest of Nilkantheshwar temple, said that Sanatan Dharma had been insulted. He added that Hindu groups had already submitted a memorandum to the organisers, but their concerns were ignored.
In his complaint, Khemasagar Hiyal, spokesperson of Ram Bhakt Sena, alleged that on the night of September 4, around 2:18 am, filmi and obscene songs accompanied by a dance programme were performed at the committee’s pandal. He reiterated that despite repeated requests to install the idol in its original form, the committee tampered with the sacred representation of the deity.
