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By:

Naresh Kamath

5 November 2024 at 11:00:38 am

Corporatisation of Ganesh Mandals affect devotees

People carry an idol of lord Ganesh to a 'pandal' ahead of 'Ganesh Chaturthi' festival in Mumbai on Tuesday. Mumbai: As the Aagman (welcoming) of Lord Chintamani saw a sea of humanity descend in the Lalbaug-Parel belt on Saturday, one could not escape the stamp of the Adani Group which has now become an exclusive partner of the Chinchpokli Sarvajanik Utsav mandal. Following the Ambani’s which has patronised the nearby Lalbaugcha Raja from the last few years, the move by the Chinchpokli Ganesh...

Corporatisation of Ganesh Mandals affect devotees

People carry an idol of lord Ganesh to a 'pandal' ahead of 'Ganesh Chaturthi' festival in Mumbai on Tuesday. Mumbai: As the Aagman (welcoming) of Lord Chintamani saw a sea of humanity descend in the Lalbaug-Parel belt on Saturday, one could not escape the stamp of the Adani Group which has now become an exclusive partner of the Chinchpokli Sarvajanik Utsav mandal. Following the Ambani’s which has patronised the nearby Lalbaugcha Raja from the last few years, the move by the Chinchpokli Ganesh Mandal to partner with the Adani group is increasingly seen as corporatisation of the most popular festival of Maharashtra.“There is no partnership or deal as such. We have just given them exclusive advertising rights,” said Santosh Sohni, secretary of the Chinchpokli Ganesh mandal. He said that Adanis approached the Mandal after being impressed by the social work undertaken by the Mandal. The Mandal is creating a replica of the famous Tirupati temple to house Lord Ganesh this year.However, this has not gone well with both the devotees as well as political parties who described it as a hijacking of this festival by the corporates.For the neighbourhoods, the festival which was financed by small donations by households and small shopkeepers, entry by the corporates with deep pockets is seen as loss of innocence of this fest.“This Maharashtrian festival is being taken over by the corporates and this is just a beginning. The whole area will be monopolised by Adani and Ambani banners and gradually they will lord over the mandals,” warned Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Sandeep Deshpande. “The common Karyakartas (workers) will be getting increasingly marginalised and paid workers will rule,” he added. Anant Ambani, Executive Director, Reliance Industries was appointed as honorary advisor of Lalbaugcha Raja and is a familiar face during the 11-day festival regularly taking part in the daily Aartis. In fact, last year, he also took part in the Visarjan (immersion) of the Lord. In 2024, Anant Ambani and Reliance Foundation gifted a 20-kilogram gold crown valued at Rs 15 crore to Lalbaugcha Raja.Deshpande has a point as till last year, majority of the banners outside Lalbaugcha Raja were of the Reliance group and featured Anant Ambani prominently. Huge Opportunity The Parel-Lalbaug belt dominated by the labour and middle class is the mecca of Ganesh Festival which is visited by crores of people across the country during the 11-day festival. Sunil Ghume, a resident of Parel who has seen the festival evolved across decades, asserts, “The corporates see a huge opportunity in this area as it gives them a branding opportunity as well as helps them to network.” “Do you think these Mandals can defy these corporates given their money power and influence?” questioned Ghume. Ghume rued that locals are feeling being left out in the festivals. “Families used to come together, hold competitions and mingle together. However huge funding has played a spoilsport,” he added.Though the Sarvajanik Ganesh festival was started by Lokmanya Tilak as a part of political mobilisation against the British rule in 1893, it was Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray who realised the potential of this fest. The Ganesh festival played an important role in the growth of the saffron outfit which can be gauged from the fact that all major Sena leaders have headed Ganpati mandals. The Ganesh Galli Mandal is headed by Kiran Tawde who is a current BMC corporator from Shiv Sena UBT while Sudhir Salvi who is currently secretary of Lalbaugcha Raja is a top Sena leader. Till a decade back, going to Lalbaug-Parel belt and visiting various Ganesh Mandals and enjoying the different poses of the Ganesh Idol used to be family routine. However, this has all changed as getting here during the fest is a herculean task and getting Darshan of Lalbaugcha Raja takes hours standing in serpentine queue. “During childhood it was pleasure to visit various mandals. But now it’s becoming impossible given the mammoth crowd. The rich people get faster access while common people have to wait for hours,” rued 55-year-old Mahesh Halwai, who is a Lalbaug resident.

India working on logistics of Tahawwur Rana's extradition

  • PTI
  • Feb 14, 2025
  • 3 min read

Updated: Feb 18, 2025

Tahawwur Rana

Washington: India is working on the logistics of Tahawwur Rana's surrender and extradition from the US, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has said, as President Donald Trump announced that his administration has given the go-ahead to extradite the 26/11 terror attack accused “to face justice".

“This is an issue on which the US authorities have taken very clear decisions. I think you've seen the President announce it himself from the White House podium" the decision of the US to extradite Rana, Misri said at a press conference here on Thursday.


During a joint press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the White House, US President Donald Trump announced that his administration has approved the extradition of "very evil" Tahawwur Rana, wanted by Indian law enforcement agencies for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, "to face justice in India”.


In response to a question by PTI on the timeframe by when Rana will be extradited to India, Misri said: "We are working on the logistics of his surrender and extradition to India. There are a few final steps to be completed. The two sides are in touch on this particular issue.”


The India-US joint statement issued during the Prime Minister's visit to the US notes that Modi and Trump reaffirmed that the global scourge of terrorism must be fought and terrorist safe havens eliminated from every corner of the world.

“They committed to strengthen cooperation against terrorist threats from groups, including Al-Qaeda, ISIS, Jaish-e Mohammad, and Lashkar-e-Tayyiba in order to prevent heinous acts like the attacks in Mumbai on 26/11 and the Abbey Gate bombing in Afghanistan on August 26, 2021," the joint statement said.


“Recognising a shared desire to bring to justice those who would harm our citizens, the US announced that the extradition to India of Tahawwur Rana has been approved," it said.


The leaders further called on Pakistan to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai, and Pathankot attacks and ensure that its territory is not used to carry out cross-border terrorist attacks.

"The leaders also pledged to work together to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems and to deny access to such weapons by terrorists and non-state actors,” the joint statement added.

Rana, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, is currently lodged at a metropolitan detention centre in Los Angeles. He is known to be associated with Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, one of the main conspirators of the 26/11 attacks.

Speaking at the joint press meet, Trump said "Today I am pleased to announce that my administration has approved the extradition of one of the plotters and very evil people of the world, and having to do with the horrific Mumbai terrorist attack, to face justice in India. So, he is going back to India to face justice."


The extradition of Rana was cleared by the US Supreme Court in January as it rejected his review petition in the case.


India last month said it was working with American authorities for the early extradition of Rana.


"The US Supreme Court on January 21 declined to hear a petition from the accused. We are now working with the US side on procedural issues for early extradition to India of the accused in the Mumbai terror attack," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said.


In November 2012, Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving gunman among the Pakistani group, was hanged to death in Yerawada Jail in Pune.

-PTI

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