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Ganesh mandal in Pune denied permission to depict Afzal Khan’s killing scene
The Kothrud Police on Monday denied permission to Sangam Mitra Mandal to depict the killing of Afzal Khan, the lieutenant of Kutub Shah of Bijapur by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, as a part of the ten-day Ganesh festival starting August 31
The Kothrud Police on Monday denied permission to Sangam Mitra Mandal to depict the killing of Afzal Khan, the lieutenant of Kutub Shah of Bijapur by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, as a part of the ten-day Ganesh festival starting August 31. The Pune Police has advised mandals to avoid themes that can create communal disharmony.
A notice dated August 20 addressed to mandal president Kishore Shinde stated, “In the past law and order issues have been reported due to such tableaux and in future also such issues cannot be ruled out. Your application seeking a live tableau is rejected.”
In 2009, a poster on the killing of Afzal Khan by a local Ganesh mandal in Miraj town of Sangli district sparked a riot.
Police inspector Mahendra Jagtap said, “We have denied permission to the said mandal on grounds that it will cause law and order issues. We have suggested that they opt for some other theme.”
The mandal in its letter to the police station dated August 11 stated: “Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the festival could not be publicly celebrated. On completing 56 years, the mandal has decided to celebrate Ganesh Utsav with much fanfare and also stage a live tableau of the assassination of Bijapur Sultanate general Afzal Khan. You are kindly requested to grant us permission for the same.”
Executive president of Sangam Mitra Mandal Sanjay Kale said, “We have been preparing for the same for a month. We will seek police permission again.”
Mandal president Kishore Shinde did not respond to calls and messages.
