Festival of Lights. Really?
Do not despair, Fellow Citizens! Fireworks have not been banned for the first time in our country. Don’t blame the Supreme Court either. Aurangzeb did that too through a firman. At least two occasions are recorded in history with documentary evidence. There was no concept of pollution in his days.
Restriction on Atishbazi (www.aurangzeb.info)
Akhbarat-i-Darbar-i-Mu‘alla, Julus 10, Shawwal 24 / April 9th 1667.
“The Emperor ordered Jumdat-ul-Mulk to write to the Mutsaddis of all the subahs (provinces) of the empire that display of fire-works (atishbazi) is being forbidden. Also, Faulad Khan was ordered to arrange for announcement in the city by the beat of a drum that no one is to indulge in atishbazi.”
Note:
The Hindus celebrate Diwali to commemorate the return of Lord Ram to Ayodhya, after fourteen years of exile and victory over Ravana, by lighting lamps and bursting crackers etc. Some time before imposing the ban on atishbazi (fireworks) Aurangzeb had written (22 November 1665) to the Subahdar of Gujarat that “In the city and parganas of Ahmedabad (or Gujarat) the Hindus, following their superstitious customs, light lamps in the night on Diwali… It is ordered that in bazars there should be no illumination on Diwali.” (Mirat, 276).
Let’s look at the gradual creep of efforts to limit celebrations in Diwali. Firecrackers have been an important part of the festivities.
2001
Supreme Court suggested (did not order or pass a judgement) that fireworks on Diwali should be limited to four hours - from 6PM to 10PM. Fireworks were not criminalised then. A massive campaign started in schools by NGO Auntys and Evironmentalist Uncles to tell the children that fireworks were the biggest cause of pollution, hurtful to old men and women and pets. No old man or woman was part of this campaign. No grandmother ever stopped the children from having their few hours of fun a year.
2005
Another petition in the Supreme Court connected Fireworks with noise pollution and demanded a ban on them. Use of firecrackers after 10PM was declared illegal and violation would invite penalties and jail term. Children were continuously made to feel guilty about firecrackers. That the fireworks industry provided livelihood to lakhs of persons in South India and brought food on the plates of poor children was never mentioned.
2010
With establishment of the National Green Tribunal the chances of any relaxation became dimmer. It discovered that Diwali fireworks was a major source of pollution.
2016-17
Harshvardhan, the Union Health Minister of BJP government requested the Lt Governor of Delhi to completely ban firecrackers.
2017-18
Several NGOs joined hands and moved the NGT, which banned firecrackers completely. The Tribunal also ordered that “smokeless green fireworks” be made. People opposing such bans were termed uncivil, bigots, insensitive and irresponsible.
2020
Fireworks ban was extended to the whole country. 850 persons were arrested in Delhi alone that year on Diwali. The NGT issued notices to 18 state governments.
2021
Celebrities and brands have made it a mission to ask us to refrain from firecrackers. This year has seen even sanitising Diwali of all its historical and religious supymbols
All these years there have been no concerted efforts by the other party, the one that believes in cultural traditions, festivities of Diwali, some fun for their children and deeper celebrations, to contest these moves. Why blame the judiciary alone, when you can’t put up an informed fight? A few hours of tradionsl fun is being called threat to right to life and is being held responsible for all the pollution in the country. And, we now have an entire crop of young children, who are ridden with guilt over firecrackers, earthen lamps and the joy of the Festival of Lights.
