On Wednesday, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court directed the Virudhunagar district authorities to return the Bharat Mata statue that was unlawfully seized from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office in Kottaipatti village. The court ruled in favor of the BJP after it filed a plea challenging the statue’s seizure.
Justice N Anand Venkatesh stated that while installing statues on public property requires prior state approval, such regulations do not apply to private property like a person’s home or office. The judge emphasized that the state and its authorities should not interfere in the private affairs of citizens or associations.
The court condemned the actions of the state authorities in removing the statue from private property, suggesting it might have been done under external pressure. The judge stressed that this high-handedness was constitutionally unacceptable and should not be repeated.
In his order, the judge described installing a Bharat Mata statue in one’s private space as a personal and symbolic act of reverence for the nation, embodying ideals such as freedom, unity, and cultural identity. The court noted that such expressions of patriotism cannot threaten state interests, as they align with the constitutional duties enshrined in Article 51-A.
The case stemmed from a petition filed by G. Pandurangan, BJP District President of Virudhunagar, who sought the return of the statue to the BJP office. The BJP argued that the statue was installed as a symbol of national unity. At the same time, the Tamil Nadu government cited guidelines from 2022 and 2017 requiring prior approval for new statue installations, even on private property.
However, the court disagreed with the state’s arguments, stating that installing a Bharat Mata statue in a private setting should express love and pride for one’s country, not a threat to public order. As a result, the court ordered the authorities to return the statue to the BJP.
Senior Advocate Ananda Padmanaban represented the BJP, while Additional Advocate General Veerakathiravan and Public Prosecutor S. Ravi represented the state.
