Mumbai: Two Bombay High Court lawyers have lodged a formal complaint with the Mumbai Police, accusing the Lalbaugcha Raja Ganesh pandal of discriminating between VIPs and ordinary devotees during darshan. The complaint was submitted following a viral video showing contrasting treatment of common people and VIPs during their prayers at the renowned pandal.
Won’t be surprised if Lalbaugcha Raja Pandal is declared as VIP only in future. The treatment is so highly visible in a single frame.
High time Mumbai Police takes over the crowd management, otherwise, slowly will lose essence amongst the common public.
Reddit pic.twitter.com/kV6clamdsl
— Karthik Nadar (@runkarthikrun) September 12, 2024
In the video, pandal staff are seen forcefully pushing devotees immediately after they offer their prayers at the feet of Lord Ganesha, while a separate group of VIPs remains undisturbed, calmly smiling for the cameras. The lawyers, Ashish Rai and Pankaj Mishra, expressed outrage at this unequal treatment, which they argue has been occurring repeatedly over the years. They have requested the Commissioner of Police, Mumbai, to investigate the matter and have also sent copies of their complaint to State Commission for Woman, State Human Rights Commission, State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Hon’ble Bombay High Court and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.
The complaint highlights the harsh treatment meted out to vulnerable groups such as children, women, senior citizens, and differently-abled persons, who are allegedly mistreated and even beaten by pandal workers. “Common citizens are mistreated, insulted, and beaten up by managers and employees. Such a system is extremely detrimental”, said Advocate Mishra.
Speaking to FPJ, Advocate Ashish Rai said, “Devotees are being thrashed and abused by the guards. The organisers and pandal workers reserve VIP treatment for their close associates, while the general public suffers. Some devotees wait in line for up to 48 hours, including women, senior citizens, the handicapped, and even pregnant women. The situation has become unbearable for them.”
Rai further emphasized that the pandal is world-famous and has police management, yet this security is restricted to VIPs, while ordinary devotees receive no such protection. “These vulnerable groups should be given priority, especially considering the pandal’s financial resources,” he noted. He also called for the establishment of a complaint box at the site for devotees to register grievances, pointing out that, at present, they are forced to travel to the Kalachowki Police Station to file complaints. According to Rai, the staff at the pandal are untrained and lack basic human management skills. “This issue has persisted for years, and only came to light because of the viral video. If no improvement is made by next year’s Ganeshotsav, we will be compelled to take this matter to court.”
The complaint also calls attention to the presence of senior police officers and government officials, along with the pandal’s managers, during these instances of misconduct.
Citing Articles 14 (Right to Equality) and 21 (Right to Life and Personal Liberty) of the Indian Constitution, the lawyers demand that equal security and facilities be provided to all devotees. “The religious sentiments of the pilgrims should not be hurt by such discriminatory practices during darshan,” they stated.
The iconic Lalbaugcha Raja idol, which is managed by the Lalbaugcha Raja Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal, is one of Mumbai’s most prominent attractions during the city’s grand Ganesh Chaturthi festival. Drawing thousands of worshippers each year, the history of the pandal dates back to 1934 when it was founded by local fishermen and traders at the Putlabai Chawl. The Kambli family has been the custodian of this revered tradition for over 80 years, with the lineage beginning under the leadership of Madhusudan Donduji Kambli.
This year’s festivities commenced on September 5 with the unveiling of the first look of the Lalbaugcha Raja idol, which continues to serve as a spiritual and cultural symbol for millions of devotees. However, this latest incident has cast a shadow over the celebrations, raising questions about the management and ethical responsibilities of the organisers in maintaining the sanctity of the event.
