Obscene dances at Dussehra make mockery of traditional customs, denigrates Hindu Religious sentiments: Madras High Court

The Madurai bench of Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu police authorities to prohibit obscene and vulgar song and dance performances at the upcoming Dasara (Dussehra) festival in the State [B.Ramkumar Adityan v District Collector].A bench of Justices R Mahadevan and J Sathya Narayana Prasad noted that photographs from the festivities of past years showed devotees dancing and indulging in obscene acts.The bench derided the practice, opining that the same makes a mockert of traditional customs and Hindu religious sentiments."The photographs conspicuously show that such dances are performed by paid dancers exhibiting obscene and vulgar postures making mockery of the traditional culture and customs to be followed in Dasara festival and denigrating the Hindu religious sentiments," the Court said in order..Such obscene or indecent depictions of women itself are a criminal offence under the provisions of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1981, the Court observed. .Therefore, it directed the authorities in Thoothukudi district to ensure that previous orders of the Court and a consequent memorandum issued in 2019 by the Chennai Director General of Police prohibiting any obscene displays during Dasara festivities and processions, are implemented in full spirit."We direct that the obscene and vulgar dance performance should be specifically prohibited by the Police authorities in the forthcoming festival and if any one violates the same, appropriate action shall be taken against them in line with the abovesaid Circular Memorandum," the order stated..The order was issued on a public interest litigation (PIL) that urged the court to direct the police to secure undertakings from all Dasara organisers, sound and music system suppliers, dance performers etc., stating that they will only play devotional songs and not Kuthu Pattu (dance numbers). The petitioner said this was essential for "protecting the traditional culture, traditional viradham system, and religious sentiments of lakhs of devotees of Arultharum Mutharamman.".The petitioner submitted that initially, devotees performed folk music and dance. However, later some of these groups started to hire actors and actress to mobilise crowds, and now, it had become a "fashion" to hire tv and film actors.It was submitted on behalf of the State police that the Director General of Police had sent out to all police and district level authorities, a circular by which referred to the various orders issued by Court in the past on the issue. It was also pointed out that the circular carried consolidated instructions with regard to the procedures to be followed while granting permission to conduct cultural events, sports events, procession/meeting etc. .The petitioner was represented by advocate S Sankar.The state police and other respondents were represented by Government Pleader P Thilakkumar and Additional Public Prosecutor T Senthil Kumar..[Read Order]