D.K. Shivakumar has said there will be no restriction on Ganesh festival celebrations in Karnataka, while asking organisers to follow discipline during processions and comply with police-approved route maps. His statement came amid opposition allegations that the government had imposed several curbs on the festivities.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Shivakumar said Ganesh was not the property of any one political party and that the festival would be allowed to proceed. He said the government had no practice of using its authority to impose restrictions on people and maintained that celebrations should be conducted peacefully.
The statement followed remarks by Opposition Leader R. Ashoka that the government had imposed multiple restrictions on Ganeshotsava celebrations. Asked about the allegation, Shivakumar accused Ashoka of attempting to create communal provocation through the issue.
Shivakumar said the festival tradition associated with Bal Gangadhar Tilak had continued over the years and urged organisers to ensure order during processions. He specifically asked them to remain alert around electricity poles and overhead wires, pointing to the safety risks involved when processions move through city streets.
He also said processions should be conducted peacefully and within the applicable legal framework. Shivakumar stated that the Bharatiya Janata Party could hold political meetings wherever permitted under the law, adding that he had instructed officials to grant permission for its programmes at any ground where the required rules were met.
The exchange has placed the administration of public religious processions at the centre of a political dispute over permissions and police directions. The source report does not specify the number of applications received, the locations of proposed processions, or any particular event where permission was denied. It also does not set out a formal government notification imposing or removing restrictions.
Home Minister Priyank Kharge, in a post on X, said police directions requiring Ganapati processions to follow approved route maps were preventive measures intended to avoid untoward incidents. He accused the BJP of using those directions for what he described as religious politics and questioned Ashoka’s position as Opposition Leader.
Kharge said the government would not compromise on maintaining law and order or on preventing communal conflict. He added that the administration would not tolerate intimidation or assault directed at police personnel.
The statements leave the operational responsibility with police and local authorities, which must manage procession routes, permissions, traffic movement and safety around electrical infrastructure. Shivakumar’s appeal is for peaceful celebrations and compliance with safety requirements, while Kharge has indicated that route-map directions will remain part of the preventive law-and-order approach.
