Row erupts over Lord Ganesh idol styled after Telengana CM Revanth Reddy

A Lord Ganesha idol crafted for Ganesh Chaturthi in Goshamahal, Hyderabad, has attracted backlash. The idol was installed by Congress leader Mettu Sai Kumar, Chairman of the Telangana Fishermen Co-operative Societies Federation. It features the distictive look of a white shirt, black trousers and a green shawl draped over the shoulder. This potrayl is themed under the ‘Telengana Rising’ and was inspired by the Telengana CM Revanth Reddy during his padayatra.

“On the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi, for the past 5 to 10 years, we installed a Ganesh idol based on a film's ideology. This time, we adopted Telangana's development ideology and the CM's vision, Revanth Reddy,” said Mettu Sai Kumar.

While some saw this as a creative expression, others accused the depiction undermining and hurting Hindu religious sentiment. The Goshamahal MLA of BJP, T Raja Singh, has asked Hyderabad Police Commissioner C V Anand to take action against Telangana Fishermen Co-operative Societies Federation and remove the pandal to uphold the religious harmony.

A bulk of other themes are there in this year's Ganesh Chathurthi. Sri Mallikarjun Nagar Youth Welfare Association in Uppuguda has created an Operation Sindoor-themed Ganesh idol. Another pandal at Kolkata Jagatpur Santosh Pally have created the Red Fort theme for Ganesh Puja this year, an art and culture fusion setup at Dilli Haat, Eco-conscious musical pandals with biodegradable idols and devotional performances in Kirti Nagar. Over the years people have appropriated and recreated Ganesh Chathurthi panadals according to their own wishes, embarcing regional and cultural themes in storytelling.