Madhya Pradesh HC Bans Burning Of Sonam Raghuvanshi’s Effigy On Dussehra

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has prohibited the burning of Sonam Raghuvanshi's effigy during the upcoming Dussehra celebrations in Indore. The court's directive comes after a petition was filed by Sonam's mother against an Indore-based organisation that had planned to burn effigies of women accused of heinous crimes.

The High Court ordered authorities to ensure that no effigies of Sonam or any other individuals are burnt during Dussehra festivities. Sonam Raghuvanshi is accused in the murder of her husband, Raja Raghuvanshi, who went missing on May 23 during the couple's honeymoon in Meghalaya. His mutilated body was later recovered on June 2 in a deep ravine near a waterfall in the Sohra area (Cherrapunji) of East Khasi Hills district. Sonam, along with several others including her alleged boyfriend, has been arrested in connection with the case.

The organisation Paurush (People Against Unequal Rules Used to Shelter Harassment) had announced plans to prepare an 11-headed effigy for 'Surpanakha Dahan,' which would feature images of women accused of murdering their husbands, children, or in-laws, including Sonam Raghuvanshi.

A single bench of Justice Pranay Verma ruled on Saturday that such an act would be impermissible in a democratic country like India. The court emphasised that respondents cannot infringe upon fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution.

The petition, filed by Sangeeta Raghuvanshi, stated that burning her daughter's effigy would cause lasting damage to her family's dignity and constitute a violation of their fundamental rights, including the right to life, personal liberty, and equality before the law. She argued that, even though her daughter is an accused, public humiliation through effigy burning would unlawfully malign the family's image and infringe on their privacy.

The court noted that the organisation's intentions were evident from pamphlets and other documents submitted, and such actions were unacceptable. State counsel confirmed that an inquiry would be conducted as per the law.

Speaking to PTI on Sunday, Sangeeta Raghuvanshi said, "The court has directed the district collector, police commissioner, and the station house officer (SHO) to ensure that no effigy burning occurs and to prevent any unlawful acts that could tarnish our family's reputation." The court also barred the organisation from burning effigies of women facing criminal charges in other states, reinforcing that such practices are unacceptable in a democratic framework.

Ashok Dashor, convener of Paurush, stated, "We had earlier justified the effigy burning as symbolic destruction of negative qualities such as adultery, immorality, and lack of values, inspired by mythological parallels. However, following the court's order, we will fully comply with the directive."