Odisha government bends to pressure, pledges to take 'favourable' stand on Rath Yatra

BHUBANESWAR: With barely 24 hours left for Rath Yatra and pressure mounting from different quarters, the state government on has said it would try to convince the Supreme Court to reconsider its June 18 order, stalling Rath Yatra in view of Covid-19 pandemic.
The apex court is scheduled to hear on Monday the applications that were filed by several individuals and organisations to reconsider the earlier order.
The state government, which on June 18 said it would comply with the apex court’s order, has decided to oblige the Puri king and chairman of Jagannath temple managing committee Dibyasingha Deb, who on Saturday wrote to chief minister Naveen Patnaik and urged the government to file a review petition in the Supreme Court to make Rath Yatra happen in a restricted manner, instead of stalling the annual festival completely.
“The state government will take a favourable action as legally permissible on the request of Gajapati Maharaja when the writ petition is taken up for hearing before the Supreme Court,” read a written statement from the state law department.
The Puri king, in his letter to the CM on Saturday, requested to observe the Rath Yatra without congregation of devotees to prevent the spread of Covid-19. “It is to mention that similar views were also submitted by three intervenors before the Supreme Court,” the statement said.
The government has also defended itself following allegations that it did not convince the apex court to host the Rath Yatra in a restricted manner and without the congregation of devotees. “The stand of the government was primarily related to thousands of Rath Yatras taking place all over the state. This involves lakhs of people. More than five lakh Odias have returned to the state since May in the wake of Covid-19 outbreak. Most of them are likely to end their quarantine period in June,” the statement said. Government said the onset of monsoon may aggravate the pandemic situation.
While the government said it was worried of the consequences of Rath Yatras across the state in the middle of Covid-19 pandemic, the Puri king and servitors earlier on Saturday said the Supreme Court should take a special view on Puri Rath Yatra as Puri is considered as the real abode of Lord Jagannath.