After Ganesh Chaturthi, AP Gov Restricts Dasara Utsavalu

The YCP government seems to be running into yet another controversy with minister Botsa Satyanarayana revealing the state’s plan for the upcoming Dasara Navaratri.

After having imposed restrictions on the celebration of Ganesh Navaratri, now the focus shifted to Dasara Navaratri. Botsa made it clear that the Navaratri celebrations should be confined to indoors. Even the elected representatives do not want to celebrate the Navaratri in a grand manner as even the Goddess knew the existence of Covid-19 pandemic, he added. There will be no ‘Dasara Sarada’ for the people in Andhra Pradesh, he asserted.

With Covid-19 being at its peak, the Hindus could not celebrate any of their festivals last year. Having foregone the festivities, people are in a mood to come out of their houses and celebrate but the government’s restrictions are playing spoilsport.

The people are already disappointed with the limitations imposed on Ganesh festival celebrations. The government made it clear that pandals should not be erected and processions should not be led on the ‘nimmajanam’ day.

This had led to talk that restrictions are being imposed only on celebrations of Hindu festivals while people of other religions are celebrating their festivals as usual.

Though the High Court orders provided some relief to the Hindus regarding celebration of festivals allowing them to instal Ganesh idol at home and celebrate the festival with a few people, the police action has been disappointing as they have been implementing restrictions.

The fresh strictures on Dasara Navaratri are sure to enrage the Hindu community and it is to be seen how they would react to it.