The bench said while PM Modi has said that strict action needs to be taken to deal with Coronavirus crisis. The UP government is approving the Kanwar Yatra.
A notice has been issued by the Supreme Court to the UP and Central Government on allowing the Kanwar Yatra amid the Coronavirus crisis. The apex court has issued notices to the governments seeking answers on the permission given to Kanwar Yatra. The court has decided to hear the matter on Friday. A bench of Justice RF Nariman has taken cognizance of the matter and issued notices to the Centre and the UP government. Now the apex court has fixed July 16 date for the hearing of the case.
Justice R.F. Nariman While hearing the case, said that we have read disturbing news that the UP government is approving the Kanwar Yatra, while the Uttarakhand government has banned it. The bench said that on the one hand, PM Narendra Modi has said that strict action needs to be taken to deal with Coronavirus crisis. On the other, the UP government is approving the Yatra. The apex court has sought reply from UP, Uttarakhand and the central government on the matter by Friday morning. The court said that the Kanwar Yatra is scheduled to start from July 25. In such a case, it is necessary to have an early hearing on this important issue.
Uttarakhand Bans Kanwar Yatra
Uttarakhand govt on Tuesday announced that it will not permit Kanwar Yatra in the state. The decision was taken after a high-level meeting between Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and top officials of the state government. Earlier, the Indian Medical Association too had written to Dhami requesting him not to permit the annual yatra.
“We are not interested in turning Haridwar into a Covid-19 hotspot. We do not want to put people’s lives at risk. Keeping this in mind we have decided to cancel the Kanwar Yatra. We have to save lives. God wouldn’t want lives to be lost,” said Dhami after the meeting.
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