Chhath committee's Vijay Gupta condemns lines drawn at Pimpri ghat, urges no dispute

A row has arisen in Pimpri-Chinchwad over coloured strips drawn and names written at several ghats, including on the Pavana river, during preparations for Chhath Puja. Vijay R. Gupta, working president of the Pimpri Chinchwad Chhath Puja Committee and associated with the Hanuman Mitra Mandal, has issued a press note on the matter. He said he learnt of it through the media.

According to Gupta, someone deliberately drew the lines at Pimpri ghat as mischief. He called the act highly condemnable and said he too strongly condemned it. He added that it was not right to target the entire North Indian community over this one incident, or to create a dispute over the Chhath festival. He appealed to everyone to preserve the city's social harmony and act with good sense.

Earlier, the city unit of the MNS had objected to preparations for Chhath Puja being made by North Indians on the Pavana river and other ghats. The MNS expressed anger at coloured strips being drawn and names written on the ghats. The party said that drawing strips and writing names on ghats like land records entries would not be tolerated. It also made clear that it had no objection to worship of the gods, but to such claims of ownership over public ghats.

Against this background, Gupta said in the press note that he has not had the land record entry of any ghat made in his name. According to him, most North Indians have lived in Pimpri-Chinchwad for many years. For many, their family, business, employment and children's education are tied to this city, so they feel a sense of belonging to it. Gupta said they are citizens of this city. Chhath Puja is an important religious and cultural festival of his community, and they have observed it with devotion at the city's ghats for years. He said there is no question of hurting anyone's religious sentiments or claiming a public place as their own.

He said most ghats in the city lack cleanliness, water and other basic facilities, with garbage, filth and inconvenience in many places. Rather than depend wholly on the municipal corporation's arrangements, members of the North Indian community jointly clean several ghats at their own expense. Ahead of Chhath Puja, community members come forward to clean the ghats, keep the surroundings in order and provide devotees with necessary facilities. According to Gupta, it would not be right to blame a community that contributes to the cleaning and upkeep of the ghats for the mischief of one person.

He said no such dispute had arisen in the city during Chhath Puja until now. Every year North Indians celebrate the festival in peace, devotion and a religious atmosphere. He said they would ensure that no untoward incident occurs this time either and that the city's peace and social harmony are maintained. Drawing lines or writing names on the ghats, or doing anything that troubles others, is not acceptable to him either. According to the press note, whoever did this should respect public places.

Appealing to community members, Gupta said: "Do not get entangled in any dispute. Keep the ghats clean, take care that public property is not damaged, and respect the feelings of others while celebrating the religious festival. Spreading awareness in the community is necessary so that such condemnable acts are not repeated. We do not have to fan any dispute. Chhath Puja is a festival of devotion and the worship of nature. So, instead of giving it the form of a political or regional dispute, everyone should cooperate in celebrating it together in unity."