CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government on Thursday revoked its order permitting religious congregations and social, political, cultural, academic and other functions from November 16.
The October 31 order issued under the Disaster Management Act permitted the gathering with a maximum ceiling of 100 people in these events. “The grant of permission is revoked now. The ban will remain until further orders,” said a government release.
The government said the public crowd in shopping areas and bus terminals due to the festive season. It was understood through media reports and field inspections that people did not care about Covid-19 protocols, including wearing masks and practising social distancing. “We get to see a second wave of Covid-19 in foreign countries. There is a need to intensify the Covid preventive measures,” the release added.
The ban on religious congregations and political events comes close on the heels of the BJP and the state government crossing swords in the Madras high court over party’s Vetrivel Yatra, a rally to six abodes of Lord Murugan. The state government denied permission to hold the yatra citing Covid-19.