Published Sep 14, 2026 | 4:24 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 14, 2026 | 4:25 PM
Inspector Dhananjaya addresses the youth gathered at a peace meeting. (X)
Synopsis: Leaders of the Karnataka BJP descended on T Narsipura town in Mysuru district on Sunday after Town Inspector Dhananjaya warned youths seeking permission for a Ganesh Chaturthi procession against taking it in front of a mosque and bursting crackers. They accused the inspector of “threatening” the youths and imposing stringent conditions on the celebrations. A video of the meeting shows Dhananjaya telling the organisers to prioritise their safety and that of devotees while ensuring that the celebrations did not inconvenience or hurt others.
Half a dozen leaders of the Karnataka BJP unit descended on T Narsipura town in Mysuru district on Sunday, 13 September, as they, along with supporters, protested against a briefing given by Town Police Inspector Dhananjaya at a peace meeting ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi.
Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R Ashok, Mysuru MP Yaduveer Wadiyar, former MP Pratap Simha, MLA Srivatsa and party leader Sachidananda joined BJP supporters at the protest. They alleged that Dhananjaya had imposed “stringent conditions” and threatened youths seeking permission to hold the Ganesha procession.
In a video of the meeting, the inspector is heard warning the assembled youths against deviating from the approved procession routes to take it in front of a mosque on a link road and bursting crackers.
“A festival should be celebrated like a festival. When people of other religions see you celebrating, they should be happy for you and respect it as your festival, just as you would respect their festivals, right?” he tells them.
“Instead of that, do not go and stand in front of a mosque and burst firecrackers. If we find this happening this time, I will take strict action. Understood? This time, we will specifically impose a fine for such violations on that road.”
The warning, however, came near the end of a nine-minute briefing in which Dhananjaya told the organisers to prioritise their safety and that of the devotees, while ensuring that the celebrations did not inconvenience or hurt others.
ಇನ್ಸ್ಪೆಕ್ಟರ್ ಧನಂಜಯ ಅವ್ರು ಹೇಳಿದ್ದೇನು…ಪೂರ್ತಿ ವಿಡಿಯೋ ಇಲ್ಲಿದೆ.
ಆ ಬಿಜೆಪಿ ಪುಢಾರಿಗಳು ಸುಮ್ನೆ ದೊಂಬಿ ಎಬ್ಬಿಸೋಕೆ ಕಾಲು ಕೆರ್ಕೊಂಡು ಕುಂತಿರ್ತಾರೆ. ಅವ್ರಿಗೂ ನೆಮ್ಮದಿಯಾಗಿ ಬದುಕೋಕೆ ಬರೋದಿಲ್ಲ. ಸಮಾಜ ಕೂಡ ನೆಮ್ಮದಿಯಾಗಿ ಇರ್ಬಾರ್ದು. ಅಷ್ಟೇ ಅವ್ರ ಉದ್ದೇಶ..#ganeshachaturthi #karnatakapolicedepartment pic.twitter.com/zt3eeL4ZCQ
— DEEPU GOWDRU (@DEEPUVAJRAMUNI) September 13, 2026
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The inspector said organisers could hold an orchestra but could not use a DJ-type sound system and call it an orchestra.
“Even if you are organizing an orchestra, under no circumstances should you use a DJ-type sound system and call it an orchestra. Tell them clearly and have them arrange the system accordingly. The music, lights, and all that come with such setups are not permitted. Understood?” he said.
The orchestra had to end by 10 pm, and sound systems could not be used between 10 pm and 6 am.
“If it comes to our attention that you are doing so, we will come there and register a case against you. Understood?” he added.
He also told the organisers that loudspeakers should not disturb residents of surrounding houses:
“[Students] may have homework or other assignments given by their school, and they need to complete those. If you play loudspeakers at high volume during the Ganapati festival, it will disturb their studies.”
The same 10 pm cut-off would apply on the day of immersion.
“On the day of immersion, under no circumstances is any sound permitted after 10:00 pm. After 10:00 pm, it must be completely silent. Understood?” he said.
The inspector said organisers could not bring DJ vehicles with multiple speakers and lights for the immersion procession.
“Also, under no circumstances is a procession with DJ equipment, loud music, or DJ songs permitted during the immersion procession. Understood?”
He asked them to use traditional instruments instead.
“You have traditional instruments such as tamate drums, musical instruments, dolu drums, nagari, and Dollu Kunitha. Bring those and use them. These are our traditional and indigenous art forms,” he said.
“Instead of constantly insisting on DJ, DJ, DJ, why not use our own traditional art forms? We have tamate, traditional instruments, dolu, nagari, Dollu Kunitha, and so on. Bring them and arrange for them. The sound can be even better than a DJ. Do that. Understood?”
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The inspector said that, on an earlier occasion, three teams had deliberately taken the link road towards a mosque, and that the police came to know about it only after the procession was over.
He asked the organisers to submit the procession route and follow it.
“Last time, some people came through the lane at the back there without obtaining permission. After we went and told them, they came saying, ‘Sir, we didn’t know. We’ll just make a small arrangement, sir’,” he said.
“This is exactly what I am talking about. You must provide us with the route for the procession—where you will start, which route you will take, and where you will conclude. You have to give us the route and specify exactly which route the procession will follow.”
The immersion point also had to be stated in advance. The idol could not be taken to another location after permission was obtained.
“Decide the immersion location in advance. You must specify in your application exactly where you are going to immerse the Ganapati idol. You cannot show one location in the application and then take the idol somewhere else. Understood?”
The inspector referred to previous processions that had continued until midnight and beyond.
“We, the police, have had to come and make them stop, close everything down, and leave. Then people take the vehicle somewhere else, even climbing onto the canal bank and carrying on. Please don’t do anything like this. Understood?” he added.
He said the procession could not continue through the night.
“You need to finish the procession within the permitted time. You cannot keep going throughout the night just to pass the time. There is no permission for that,” he said.
The inspector told the organisers to be “responsible” and not to take children or people who could not swim into the water at the immersion site.
“At the immersion site, under no circumstances should you take anyone who does not know how to swim. Only people who know how to swim should go into the water to carry out the Ganapati immersion.”
He also told them not to allow small children to accompany the procession to the immersion site.
“As soon as the Ganapati idol is lifted and the procession begins, the small children should all be sent back home. Understood?” he added.
Everyone else, he said, should remain on the bank. He also told the organisers that the people named in their applications would be held responsible if there was an incident.
“If any unfortunate incident occurs, remember that the people whose names are on the application you submitted will be held responsible.”
“You have to take responsibility. Take responsibility and celebrate the Ganapati festival peacefully and in a calm manner.”
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The inspector asked the organisers to put one person in charge of supervising the preparation of food being distributed during the festival.
“You are organizing the food distribution, putting up the pandal neatly, and arranging for the cooking. While the food is being prepared, you need to be a little more careful and keep a close watch. One person should be made responsible for overseeing the cooking.”
He referred to a case around Male Mahadeshwara Hills and warned against contamination of food.
“You remember that there was a case around Male Mahadeshwara Hills, don’t you? Somebody should be in charge of the cooking. If they are not careful, something could get contaminated, and the entire village might end up eating that food. We should not allow something like that to happen.”
He also told the organisers to keep volunteers at the pandal throughout the day and night after installing the idol. “For this reason, there must be your volunteers present at the Ganapati pandal 24 hours a day. Understood?” he added.
The organisers also had to state how many days the idol would remain at the pandal. The inspector referred to instances where organisers had sought permission for three days and later extended the period to eight or nine days.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
