SC’s fire cracker verdict fails to recognise the way the South celebrates ‘Deepawali’

‘Diwali’ is a most popular festival celebrated by the Hindu population across India. Notably, each community has a unique way for celebrating this festival. The North Indian and South India celebrates ‘Diwali’ for two different reasons. In the North, this festival is observed to celebrate the homecoming of ‘Rama’ after killing ‘Ravana’. Meanwhile, in the South, it is a festival to celebrate the killing of ‘Narakashura’ by a powerful goddess. The Northern people call this festival as ‘Diwali’, while the Southerners name it ‘Deepawali’.

Unfortunately, a recent Supreme Court verdict, which restricts the bursting of fire crackers during the festivals, including ‘Diwali’, and other occasions to a time period of two hours between 8 PM to 10 PM, failed to recognise the way the South India celebrates the festival of ‘Deepawali’.

Tamil Nadu, which has filed a petition seeking some relaxations in the verdict, has argued that the people of Tamil Nadu normally celebrate ‘Deepawali’ in the morning, unlike the people of North who celebrate it in the night, so the court should offer some relaxations to the people of the state in order to help them continue the traditions they have been practising since time immemorial.

The Tamil Nadu government’s prime request is that its people should be allowed to burst the fire crackers in the ‘Deepawali’ festival in morning between 4.30 AM to 6.30 AM.

The state has also pointed out that there are several North Indians living in the state so it should also be allowed to bust the fire crackers at night between 8 PM to 10 PM.

Is there any merit in the argument? What do you think?

Vignesh. S. G

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