Police convene peace meetings ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi fest

Coimbatore: Police have conducted peace meetings with members of right-wing outfits and Muslim groups ahead of next week’s Ganesh Chaturthi festival.
City police commissioner V Balakrishnan, who conducted a meeting with representatives of All Jamaat and Federation of Islamic Association at police commissionerate on Monday, urged them to maintain peace during the festival.
The representatives urged the commissioner to take action against hate speech. “Several youths from Tirupur, Palladam and other places would visit Coimbatore city to conduct processions to immerse Ganesh idols in water bodies. Before starting processions, Hindu outfits conduct brief meetings at the venues. Police should record the meetings and should take steps to prevent hate speech. During the procession, some of the youths stop vehicles near mosques and blare music. It should be avoided to prevent untoward incidents. Police usually close the roads between Athupalam – Kovaipudur Pirivu during the processions, inconveniencing motorists. Instead, vehicles should be parked in interior vacant places and the idols should be carried to the water bodies,” a representative said.
They extended support to police to maintain communal harmony in the city.
On Saturday, superintendent of police V Badrinarayanan conducted a meeting with right-wing organisations at district police office on State Bank Road.
Hindu Munnani plans to install 5,008 Ganesh idols across the district, including 308 in Coimbatore city, spokesperson Dhanabal said. “We will cooperate with police to conduct the festival in a grand manner. We also requested police to clear some portions of Vellakinar Pirivu water body to immerse 300 idols,” he added.