Expectations of Rath Yatra in Puri increase, Center asks permission from SC
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The hearing is going on in the Supreme Court on whether the Rath Yatra will take place on 23 June in Jagannath Puri. Meanwhile, the central government has proposed that the yatra can be taken out without involving devotees. The Supreme Court had prohibited the visit on June 18, but 6 review petitions came against the court’s decision. These are being heard.
Appeals have been made in the petitions to consider permitting the removal of the rath yatra in return. Puri city has been proposed to be taken out by total shutdown and prohibiting entry of outsiders in the district.
Breaking tradition is not right: Shankaracharya
Swami Nischalananda Saraswati of Puri Peeth has appealed to the Supreme Court to reconsider the case. He said in his statement issued from Puri Math- ‘There can be a feeling that Lord Jagannath will never forgive if the rath yatra is allowed in this crisis, but will God forgive if he breaks the centuries-old tradition.’
The court had said
that the yatra should not be done for the safety of the people, the Supreme Court said on 18 June that in the decision to stop the rath yatra, Lord Jagannath would never forgive us if we gave permission to travel at the time of Corona epidemic. The court said that when a pandemic spreads, it cannot be allowed to visit a place which is heavily crowded. There should not be a trip this year for the health and safety of the people. The bench of Chief Justice asked the Odisha government not to allow any procession or programs related to Rath Yatra anywhere in the state this year.
The last time the Mughals stopped the
yatra, if the rath yatra does not take place, it will happen for the second time in 285 years. Last time the yatra was halted during the Mughal era. This time there was a situation of confusion on the Rath Yatra. Meanwhile, Bhubaneswar’s NGO Odisha Development Council had filed a petition in the Supreme Court, saying that there would be a danger of corona spreading from the rath yatra. If the court can ban the burning of firecrackers on Deepawali keeping in mind the health of the people, then why can’t the Rath Yatra be banned?
