Sena found fault withe Supreme court. It also cautioned the court not to step into the religious sentiments of the people. Criticising the Supreme Court’s verdict restricting the height of dahi handi pyramids, the Shiv Sena said the judiciary was overstepping the “laxman rekha” that separates it from the executive functions of a democratically elected government.
“Festivals like Ganeshotsav, dahi handi and Navratri are part of our faith and belief systems. Therefore courts should not at least cross this laxman rekha. Let the elected government do its work.” Sena leaders added that the party would lead the dissent against attempts to stop “ festivals and rituals of the Hindus.
In an attacking editorial in the party mouthpiece Saamana said, “Lokmanya Tilak had asked British government if it had lost it sanity and was sent to the Mandalay prison on sedition charges for six years. But that was during the British government and its courts. But now a situation is emerging where we need to object to judicial activism in independent India because though there is a democratically elected government, the courts are handling the real governance.”
The court had issued the restrictions for better security of govindas. The editorial said that govindasquads in Mumbai were disappointed with the decision. It said that all the squads are trained and to make human pyramids for more than a year. Except for the use of children younger than 18 years, there is nothing objectionable in the festival,” it said.
It added that though govindas get injured and some even die “unfortunate things” such as crime and farmers’ suicides happen everywhere.
