Mumbai Ganesh Mandal Seeks Dismissal of Human Rights Complaint Over Devotee Treatment
The Lalbagcha Raja Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal has formally requested the Maharashtra Human Rights Commission to dismiss a complaint filed against it, which alleges ill-treatment of common devotees during the Ganesh festival. The complaint, submitted in 2025 by two city-based lawyers, claims that women, children, and the elderly faced malicious behavior and rights violations while seeking darshan at the iconic pandal.
Details of the Complaint and Mandal's Response
Advocates Ashish Rai and Pankaj Mishra filed the complaint, asserting that ordinary devotees endured misconduct and criminal activities, including theft of mobile phones and other valuables, in the serpentine queues. However, in its reply submitted on Wednesday, the Ganesh Mandal argued that the complaint is legally barred due to delay. It pointed out that the grievances date back to 2023 and 2024, but the complaint was only filed in August 2025, violating the time limits under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.
The Mandal further stated that security arrangements for VIPs and dignitaries are managed by the Mumbai Police and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to ensure smooth movement for all devotees. It emphasized that no individual devotee has corroborated the allegations of mishandling or misbehavior, describing the claims as evasive and non-specific. The Mandal has urged the Commission to dismiss the complaint with heavy costs.
Police Response and Festival Context
In their response, the police highlighted the immense scale of the Lalbag area during the 10-day Ganesh festival, noting that it becomes one of the most densely populated religious sites globally. In 2025 alone, an estimated 1.5 to 2 million devotees visited the Mandal's Ganesh pandal. Regarding the allegations of misbehavior or assaults against ordinary devotees, the police confirmed that nine Non-Cognizable (NC) offenses were registered, with appropriate legal action taken to address these incidents.
The matter is scheduled for a next hearing by the Human Rights Commission on July 7, where further deliberations will take place on the validity and implications of the complaint.
