As the state of Tamil Nadu is preparing to celebrate Vinayagar Chathurthi on August 22 in an atypical way in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak and the restrictions, the Madras High Court has, on Friday, issued the directives on celebrating the religious event to ensure that the celebration won't take a break from the COVID-19 guidelines and protocols. 

The Tamil Nadu government has banned the installation and procession of idols at public places and immersion of the idols on the water bodies by citing the existing lockdown and restrictions. The government had further advised the people to celebrate at their homes and refrain from gathering at the public places. However, the Tamil Nadu BJP unit and Hindu outfits had castigated the state government's order and vowed that they will defy the order and would install Ganesh idols at public places. 

The Hindu outfits had moved their Public Interest Litigations (PIL) to the Madras High Court to challenge the order of the Tamil Nadu government. After the hearing, the High Court had dismissed the petitions on Friday and upheld the order passed by the government in restricting the celebrations of Vinayagar Chaturthi at public places. By giving a clear go-ahead for the government's order, the High Court had said that only individuals should be allowed to carry and immerse the idols on the water bodies while following the COVID-19 protocols. 

According to the reports, Advocate General of the government of Tamil Nadu Vijay Narayan, who argued for the state government, said that the installations, processions, and immersions of idols aren't permitted owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and the government's order was recently upheld by the Madras High Court Madurai Bench and the Marina Beach has also been closed as part of the restrictions. 

The Advocate General then said the people have been instructed to celebrate the festival at their homes and informed the court that if it changes the government's order and allows the procession and immersion, it would, in turn, lead to the large gathering of people. On the other hand, the petitioners said that they would extend full co-operation to the government and they won't be insisting on mass processions or immersions and they would ensure to follow the smooth conduct of the religious practices. 

After the hearing, the High Court bench comprised of Justices MM Sundresh and R Hemalatha issued the directives that people can celebrate Vinayagar Chathurthi by keeping the idols at their homes and only individuals are permitted to immerse the idols on the water bodies and those individuals would return immediately after they immersed the idols as the pandemic would spread when more people gather. 

The High Court further issued a ban on installation and procession of idols at the public places and it stated that no immersion of the idols should be done at the Marina beach and people can use other water bodies. The bench had pressed that individuals only permitted in the process of immersion and people should also adhere to the restriction of timings and social distancing and the court had given the liberty to take action according to the law in case of violations of orders. 

After the order of the High court, Tamil Nadu BJP President L Murugan said that Vinayagar Chathurthi will be celebrated based on the directives of the state government and stated that the party would take the position of Hindu Munnani group in celebrating the event. Hindu Munnani had called people to celebrate the religious festival by keeping the idols at their homes, temples, and private places and stated that the group would extend its co-operation to the government and it would immerse the idols based on the directives of the High Court.