Sonam Raghuvanshi and King Raghuvanshi
Every year on the Dussehra festival in Indore city of Madhya Pradesh, a program of effigy of women criminals was also to be organized along with Ravana Dahan. Sonam’s mother Sangeeta Raghuvanshi filed a petition against the Shurpanakha Dahan program. The petition said that burning effigies in the name of women criminals on a religious festival like Dussehra is against the dignity of women in the society.
This also hurts the feelings of the families of the deceased or accused women. Hearing the petition, the High Court gave a big verdict and banned the Shurpanakha Dahan program to be held in Indore. The court said that it is not justified to humiliate the image of any woman in the name of traditions.
Now only Ravana will be burnt on Dussehra
Along with this, the High Court clarified that religious events are for social harmony and moral messages, not to humiliate a particular class or gender. After this order of the High Court, now effigies of 11 women criminals including Sonam, Muskan in Indore will not be burnt this time. There will be traditionally Ravana combustion on Dussehra.
Sonam’s mother welcomed the court’s decision
At the same time, there will be a ban on the burning of symbolic effigy of Shurpanakha or female criminals. Sonam’s mother Sangeeta Raghuvanshi welcomed the court order and said that this decision is going to give a positive message for the society. He said that the name of the daughter was unbearable for the victim’s family in this way. This decision of the court has respected the pain of the family.
After the decision of the High Court, the opinion of local people and social organizations seems to be divided on this issue. Some people are saying the decision of the court right. At the same time, some are considering it as interference in customs.
