HC junks PIL to stop Ravan Dahan, fines petitioner

Nagpur: Dismissing a petition requesting end to Ravan Dahan (Ravan effigy burning), the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court on Thursday fined the petitioner Janardhan Moon Rs25,000 and observed that practicing religion is a fundamental right and it cannot interfere with it. The court rapped the petitioner saying that his plea seemed like a ‘publicity interest’ litigation, rather than ‘public interest’.The bench headed by Justice Bhushan Gavai and Justice Swapna Joshi also ordered that the fine be deposited with Chief Minister’s Relief Fund within two weeks.
Petitioner Moon, who had sought a stay on the effigy burning citing certain section of the Bombay Police Act, told TOI that he would now approach the Supreme Court next week. “I had filed this petition as per the Constitution and not on any religious basis. While rejecting my petition, the HC declared that it was a publicity stunt. The judges dismissed petition saying that earlier there were protests regarding Hanuman Chalisa and now this. But my PIL has nothing to do with religion, it is rather based on the law. Even the Hanuman Chalisa case was based on issue related to spending taxpayers’ money and not religion,” said Moon.
Moon said that his complaint was also based on a document he had procured through RTI. “In October last year the police gave permission for Ravan Dahan at Kasturchand Park. But in that same letter they mentioned that burning of effigy is illegal, citing section 131, 134 and 135 of Bombay Police Act. I attached a copy of this letter to the petition and questioned how the permission can be granted in contradiction with the law,” said Moon. He added that his organization will raise money through donations for paying the legal fees when they approach SC.
(With inputs from Namrata Ghaturle)