Ban on the celebrations on Hindu festivals has become the latest talk of the town.
Hindu festivals seem to be targeted considering the ban on Diwali firecrackers, water wastage on holi, limit on the human pyramid of Dahi Handi, imposing of sound and celebration limits at Navratri and Ganesh festivals, not having the crowd on roads while festivals, etc.
Are these constant bans just before the festive season’s blight the celebration ambience? India is a secular nation, but the Hindu festival celebrations are suffering. Have any other religion faced any such bans with respect to the celebration? This article is not meant to hurt any religious feelings, but this is to find the correlated facts behind these bans. Is there any conspiracy? We don’t know. That’s my worry!
Firecrackers spoil the atmosphere is an agreeable argument but instead of the complete ban, imposing limits could have resolved the air pollution issue. Why there is complete ban? Firecrackers allowed in New year celebrations, marriages, and other occasions. Whereas one day, in Deepavali as Hindu you can’t use the Firecrackers? This doesn’t seem to be justifiable to ban year’s long celebration completely. It hurts the freedom of expression through celebration!
Now we will look another part, i.e. noise pollution dimension. Due to noise pollution, the strike rule was passed and the time limit and sound limit was set for the festivals like Navaratri and Ganesh festivals. As per Noise pollution act, the celebration time limit is set at 10 p.m. after which the music/sound systems/sounds are not allowed and are punishable. But no such time limits are set for early morning Azan on loudspeakers which are never considered to be disturbing or public nuisance. Also, there is no limit during Christmas or other festivals. Why there is one rule for one community and another for other community.
Holi was pleaded to celebrate in an eco-friendly manner to save water and prevent the wastage of water. But no such eco-friendly Ramadan or eco-friendly Moharam was celebrated even after witnessing the blood streets. Dahi Handi is one of the Hindu festivals celebrated at large at some very specified locations, where huge human pyramids are made. On which the limitation was imposed. Irrespective of health conditions people are forced to follow fasting. We have read in the news that there were causalities because of forced fasting. Are there any laws to allow people to choose to fast as per their health condition?
Jallikattu is a festival celebrated in south India which was objected by PETA and many other animal rights activists. But fortunately or unfortunately these animal right activities never noticed the animal slaughter on Mohram and Ramadan. All the bans, compromises, adjustments are to be made by Hindus. If anybody has to give up on something for the sake of nation or environment than that has to be Hindus first. There is no harm in giving up the things which are harmful to nation or environment but what is harmful is if the rules/laws are imposed only on specific religion. In that case, such bans are going against the secularism.
All this surely leads to the conspiracy by the administrators, leaders, communal activists, communist followers, and socialist questioning the bans. The onus of moral duty is on each and every citizen and not on any particular religion. Considering the countries pollution and public nuisance issues, Hindus till date have adhered serenely to the rules imposed on their festivals. The ban on animal harassment/slaughtering should be implemented irrespective of religion.
