Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi has said that the party will lead an agitation of Ganesh mandals if the police resorted to actions like imposing ban on use of DJ music during immersion processions.
Speaking to presspersons in Hubballi on Friday, the Minister said that the police should stop imposing restrictions based on directions from the Congress-led government in the State, as Ganeshotsav is a big festival of the Hindus.
He said that they too already have, on behalf of the police, appealed to the Ganesh Mandals not to prolong the rituals and celebrations. “But if the Police Commissioner or Superintendent of Police impose more restrictions like ban on DJ music or time, then the BJP will resort to agitation on behalf of the Ganesh Mandals,” he warned.
He also said that processions should be conducted as per the routes designated by law enforcing agencies and he will request the Ganesh Mandals not to prolong the processions unnecessarily.
‘Chaitra not of BJP’
On the Chaitra Kundapur case, he categorically stated that she is in no way related to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). “It is a stray case. She was neither the star campaigner of the BJP nor related to the party. The Congress leaders have been speaking a lot about it these days. But they should remember that their own leader Margaret Alva had spoken about sale of ticket in her party,” he said.
The Minister also pointed out that huge transactions in cash is not permitted under law and the police investigating the Chaitra Kundapur case should also investigate the cash transaction of over ₹5 crore and also bring those involved to book.
Later in the day, addressing a press conference, Hubballi Dharwad West MLA Arvind Bellad said that after the Congress government came to power, unnecessary restrictions are being imposed on the Ganeshotsav celebrations and other festivals.
He said that under pressure from the Congress government, the police have imposed restrictions on the use of DJ music and lighting and even the timing of processions.
