UP police face a tough task to convince people over kanwar yatra

MEERUT: A day after the Uttar Pradesh government suspended the annual Kanwar Yatra in the wake of prevailing Covid-19 pandemic, officials in Meerut and Saharanpur regions — the two main pilgrimage centres of the yatra — said they have a tough task ahead to convey the decision of suspension of the yatra to devotees and convince them.

“Spreading the message and convincing devotees would be a big challenge in the coming days,” said additional director general ( ADG) of police, Meerut zone, Rajeev Sabharwal.

The state government, in consultation with the Haryana and Uttarakhand governments, on Saturday decided to suspend the annual pilgrimage of Lord Shiva devotees that takes place in the Hindu holy month of Shravan. The yatra was to start from July 5-6 and conclude on July 19.

Jagmohan Shakal, who has been organising a camp for providing food and lodging to ‘Kanwarias’ for over two decades now, supported the decision and said that camp organisers were worried about the safety of devotees.

Every year, three to four hundred thousand devotees come to the Meerut’s Kali Paltan temple during the yatra every year.

Temple’s management committee’s secretary Satish Kumar Singhal expressed his dismay over the suspension of the yatra. On the other hand, the temple’s chief priest Sridhar Tripathi supported the government’s decision and said, “Life is above all and devotees should understand it.”