Ganeshotsav to Get Status of Maharashtra’s ‘State Festival’

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government will declare the 10-days Ganeshotsav as the ‘state festival’. State cultural affairs minister Ashish Shelar announced that the state government will spend more than Rs 100 crore for the festival.

Making the announcement in the legislative assembly, Mr. Shelar said, “Lokmanya Tilak started public celebrations of Ganeshostav in 1983. This festival is connected to social, nationalist and freedom movements. These values are part of the festival even today. This festival is Maharashtra’s honour and pride. The Maharashtra government is committed to ensure that Ganeshostav gets not only national, but global recognition. I assure this House that the festival will be made the state festival.”

Mr. Shelar was replying to BJP MLA Hemant Rasne’s demand seeking the status of state festival, separate funds and planning authority for organising Ganeshotsav. Mr.Rasne demanded provision of Rs 100 crore to organise Ganeshotsav in Pune district. However, Mr. Shelar said the state will spend more than Rs 100 crores on it. “We will make a provision of a lot more than Rs 100 crore,” he said.

The minister also lashed out against the judiciary and previous Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by Uddhav Thackeray for trying to stop public celebrations of Ganeshotsav. He said a partial judge was trying to ensure that public celebration of the festival does not get police permission anywhere in the state. “Some people tried to create various obstacles in the organisation of the public Ganesh festival. There were attempts made in various courts to stop the festival. But the Mahayuti government promptly worked to remove all the obstacles. There were also attempts to move contempt of court petition against chief minister Devendra Fadnavis because of his efforts,” the minister said.