Pune News | Legal Battle Ensues Over Ganesh Idol in Pune Society

Pune : Pune News | The renowned Ganeshotsav festival in Pune attracts visitors from around the world, drawn by the grandeur and devotion with which the city celebrates. However, an unfortunate dispute has emerged in Flower Vanli Cooperative Housing Society in Wanwadi, Pune, where a senior citizen couple has been fined for keeping a Ganesh idol outside their home.

Sandhya Honawar (65) and her husband Satish Honawar (72), residents of Flower Vanli Cooperative Housing Society, installed a Ganesh idol outside their seventh-floor apartment in 2002, following a Vastushanti ritual. In 2019, a new executive committee took charge of the society, implementing new rules and regulations.

Under the new rules, any objects such as shoe stands, tree trunks, or sticks placed outside the society’s hall would be subject to fines five times the monthly maintenance fee. The executive committee issued a notice to the Honawars, instructing them to remove the Ganesh idol from its current location. However, the couple chose not to comply, leading to a fine of Rs. 5,62,000 imposed by the society.

Sandhya Honawar expressed her determination to keep the idol in its place, stating, “What we have done is not wrong. We installed the Ganesh idol when we bought the house, and even if it costs us, we will not move it.” She questioned the society’s focus on their idol while other residents on their floor show no objections and even participate in lighting lamps during the festivities.

In response, Flower Valley Society Secretary Kalyan Ramayan clarified that the society’s actions were not targeted against the Ganesh idol itself but were part of a broader effort to address unauthorized construction within the premises. The society had taken action against 118 instances of encroachment, including the installation of a fish tank and other unauthorized modifications in outdoor areas.

Ramayan further explained that during a general society meeting, 79 members demanded action against all unauthorized constructions or requested permission for their own alterations. Subsequently, the society began taking immediate action, and as of now, 110 out of the 118 individuals involved have rectified the unauthorized modifications.

While the dispute continues to escalate, the Flower Valley Society’s secretary emphasized that they too have faith in Ganpati but suggested that those with religious sentiments should install idols within their homes. The matter has now reached the court, and the community eagerly awaits the court’s decision in this case.

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