Madhya Pradesh High Court Bans Controversial 'Surpanakha Dahan' Effigy Burning Event: Constitutional Violation Explained

The Madhya Pradesh High Court's Indore bench has intervened to stop a controversial Dussehra event where organizers had planned to substitute Ravana with effigies of 11 women facing criminal charges.

On Saturday, the court prohibited the burning of these effigies, declaring such actions unconstitutional and contrary to democratic values.

The event, labeled "Surpanakha Dahan," was being organized by Paurush, an Indore-based men's rights organization that advocates for victims of spousal abuse. The group had announced plans for a massive 11-faced effigy, with each face portraying a woman accused of various crimes including domestic homicide, fraud, and drug trafficking.

The women selected included Sonam Raghuvanshi, accused of murdering her husband Raja Raghuvanshi in Meghalaya, and Muskan, implicated in the notorious "blue drum" murder case from Meerut.

The situation intensified after Sonam's mother, Sangeeta Raghuvanshi, submitted a petition to the High Court on September 25, arguing that her daughter's case remained under trial without any conviction. She contended that publicly burning her daughter's effigy constituted defamation and psychological harassment.

In its ruling, the court observed, "Even if someone faces a criminal case, burning their effigy and publicly tarnishing their image is against the Constitution and the law."

The Saturday order explicitly stated that such symbolic punishment was "completely unacceptable in a democracy."

The Raghuvanshi community had expressed strong opposition to the event, with Sonam's brother Govind Raghuvanshi filing a complaint with Indore Collector Shivam Verma, requesting the prevention of the effigy-burning.

Govind, who initially expressed sympathy for Raja's family, has since changed his position and is now pursuing bail for his sister.

Ashok Dashora, president of Paurush, maintained that the event was not intended to "insult any woman," but rather to symbolize that evil transcends gender. "If Ravana represented wrongdoing in his time, today's society must confront modern-day 'Surpanakhas,'" he stated.

Following the court's directive, he added, "We respect the judiciary. Now that a ban has been imposed, the effigy will not be burned."

The group is reportedly considering appealing the single-bench order.

The 11 women named included those accused of various crimes across India, from fraud and cybercrime (Nikita Singhania, Sushmita) to child trafficking (Shashi from Firozabad) and liquor smuggling (Hansa from Dewas).