Ranchi: The lawmakers of Jharkhand are a divided lot over celebrating Diwali this year amid the Covid pandemic as some will continue with their tradition of meeting visitors while others will stay put at their homes and will not be entertaining any guests.
Ranchi MP Sanjay Seth said he will throw open his doors for visitors on Saturday evening and greet them with sweets. “Every year, I celebrate Diwali with the people. After the customary puja at home, I will meet visitors as usual and distribute sweets in my parliamentary constituency,” Seth said, adding, “We will observe social distancing protocols while meeting everyone.”
Jamshedpur (East) MLA Saryu Rai, while speaking to TOI over phone from Jamshedpur, said, “Every year, I do Lakshmi Puja at home, distribute sweets among the residents of various localities and visit the homes of colleagues, if invited. This year will not be an exception.”
State agriculture minister Badal Patralekh, who had tested positive for Covid-19 in August, will celebrate Diwali with underprivileged children from his assembly constituency (Jarmundi). “Every year, he gifts clothes and sweets to the underprivileged families on Diwali and he will do the same this time,” Patralekh’s aides said.
Patralekh’s ministerial colleague and finance minister Rameshwar Oraon will spend his Diwali at a city hospital as he is still recuperating from Covid-19. However, some Congress workers will deliver sweets to him on Saturday, party sources said.
Like Oraon, Silli MLA Sudesh Mahto will be in isolation, albeit at his home, as he recovers from a second bout of the infection.
For Jharia MLA Purnima Singh, Diwali will be a quiet affair this year. “There will be no visitors. After doing puja at home, I will light up diyas and spend time with my family,” she said.
Ranchi’s BJP MLA C P Singh, who was also infected with the deadly virus, will remain indoors this Diwali.
So far, six cabinet ministers and more than 20 MLAs in Jharkhand have tested positive for Covid-19 since July.