Tamil Nadu government on Thursday announced that celebrating Vinayakar Chathurthi in public spaces will be prohibited across the state in view of the lockdown that is still in place. However, the Hindu Munnani via a press release has said that it would defy the government’s directive and install Vinayakar idols in 1.5 lakh locations across the state on August 22 as part of the Hindu festival.

State president Kadeswara C Subramaniam, in his statement, condemned the Tamil Nadu government for prohibiting Vinayakar Chathurthi festival. Stating that the Hindu Munnani has been celebrating this festival for the past 36 years, he claims that they have been planning to celebrate Vinayakar Chathurthi this year based on safety norms mandated by the Health and Family welfare department. Claiming that religious beliefs among people will increase people’s immunity and will-power to fight against the disease, the state president notes that they had planned to conduct the festival this year with less fanfare.

“We know how much the state government fought to reopen TASMAC shops, taking matter up to the court. However, they have prohibited Vinayakar Chathurthi celebrations,” he said and alleged that the state government has taken an anti-Hindu stance in doing so. 

“In order to reclaim our worshipping rights, with due safety measures and COVID-19 preventive measures, on August 22, we will install Vinayakar statues in 1.5 lakh places across the state and celebrate the festival,” reads their release.

Vinayakar Chathurthi, which falls on August 22 this year, is celebrated with much fanfare and includes processions held to dip the idol in water bodies. In its latest directive, the Tamil Nadu government has prohibited installation, procession and immersion of Vinayakar idols in public places this year. Instead, the government requested people to celebrate the festival in their homes.

Notably, the government recently allowed reopening of small places of worship in Chennai.