In a bid to pressure the Maha Vikas Aghadi government to reopen temples in Maharashtra, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will hold a Statewide hunger strike on October 13.
“The State government has decided to open hotels, restaurants and bars. But it has yet not given the green signal to open temples. To condemn this decision, we will observe a one-day fast in front of temples,” said Tushar Bhosle, State president of the BJP’s spiritual wing.
Mr. Bhosle said religious leaders, priests and preachers from various sects and hundreds of people who depend on temples for their livelihood will take part in the protest. “We also appeal to all political parties to join us,” he said.
Last month, the BJP organised a Statewide ‘ghanta naad’ (ringing of bells) agitation and Imtiyaz Jaleel, All India Majlis-e- Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen MP, also demanded the reopening of mosques.
As per the government guidelines under its Mission Begin Again, religious places have not been given permission to reopen as crowding might lead to the spread of COVID-19.