‘Arbitrary and illogical’: BJP's Tejasvi Surya on BBMP's guidelines for Durga Puja

In his letter, Surya also alleged that the civic body imposes curbs only during celebrations of the Hindu community.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Tejasvi Surya described guidelines issued by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for the upcoming Durga Puja festivities in the city as “discriminatory, arbitrary and illegal,” as he shot off a letter to the chief commissioner of the civic body, urging the official to revisit the rules and prepare a more “inclusive and logical” set of guidelines, which, he emphasised, should be necessary for management of the Covid-19 pandemic only.

Durga Puja (PTI File Photo/Used for representation)

In his letter, shared by news agency ANI, Surya noted with “great concern,” that the restrictions imposed regarding the size of the idol appear to have been taken “without any logical relevance," adding that there was no basis for the idols to be four feet high or lower than that. The BJP MP further noted that the local administration did not have any locus standi to decide what and how much of the Puja was to be done.

“The restrictions on dhol/drums take away the very fervour of joy and celebration. None of these rules have any established connection with the spread of the virus,” he further wrote, also adding that if the number of persons allowed at rituals was restricted, then curbing activities such as playing dhols/drums, too, was “devoid of merit.”

Surya also complained that the administration only imposed such curbs during Hindu festivals. “However, you turn a blind eye when it comes to celebrations of other faiths. These restrictions are condemnable and patently unconstitutional,” he concluded.

The BBMP, on Wednesday, issued guidelines for Durga Puja celebrations in Bengaluru, which will take place from October 11 to 15.

"