Baidyanath Dham won’t open, arrange ‘online darshan’: HC

EARLIER, THE STATE HAD FILED AN AFFIDAVIT CLARIFYING THAT IT WAS NOT IN FAVOUR TO HOLD THE SHRAVANI MELA

RANCHI:The Jharkhand high court on Friday directed the state government to arrange live streaming of prayer and worship at Baba Baidyanath Dham and Basukinath Dham temples so that devotees can see the rituals online, rejecting the plea for “real darshan” by opening the temples and organising month-long Shravani fair amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.

A division bench of chief justice Ravi Ranjan and justice Sujit Narayan Prasad declined permission for holding Shravani fair and opening the two temples at Deoghar and Dumka in the month of Shravana, beginning July 6.

The bench observed that a large gathering of people should be avoided in the changed scenario as the risk of Covid-19 spread still persists.

Passing the order, the bench disposed of the PIL filed by BJP’s Godda parliamentarian NishiKant Dubey.

The bench, after detailed discussions with advocate general and disaster management secretary, was convinced that saving people’s life was of paramount importance and no risk can be taken.

The court also realized that the temples could not be allowed to be visited by a limited number of devotees as it would be discriminatory. The court, therefore, resorted to allowing “virtual darshan”.

Earlier, the state government had filed an affidavit clarifying that it was not in the favour to hold the Shravani Mela in public interest due to coronavirus outbreak.

Baba Baidyanath Dham temple in Deoghar is one of the Dwadas Jyotirlinga among the Hindus. More than 70 lakh pilgrims visit the place every year during the month of Shrawana.

Dubey, in his petition, had argued that considering people’s religious faith, these temples should be opened.He citied the recent order of the Supreme Court which allowed Puri’s Rath Yatra with certain restrictions. He had urged the court to allow Kanwar Yatra in the line of Puri.