SC okays Puri’s Rath Yatra with restrictions
Top court says can’t ‘micro-manage’ Rath Yatra; Amit Shah speaks to temple committee chief
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Odisha government to make necessary arrangements to conduct Puri’s Rath Yatra, scheduled to start from June 23, in a restricted manner in wake of the COVID19 pandemic. The top court also said it cannot “micro-manage” the rituals and left it to the wisdom of state, the Centre and temple management to deal with the issue. “If it is confined to Puri alone in a limited way without public attendance as proposed by Gajapati Maharaj of Puri, Chairman of the Puri Jagannath Temple administration, state government will endeavour to make necessary arrangements to conduct it accordingly,” the SC bench said. The Apex Court had on June 18 said in the interest of public health and safety of citizens, this year’s Puri Rath Yatra cannot be allowed due to the pandemic and that “Lord Jagannath won’t forgive us if we allow” it.
A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde was informed by the Odisha government that it will coordinate with temple management and the Centre to make things smooth during Rath Yatra.
The bench also comprising Justices Dinesh Maheswari and A S Bopanna was informed by the Centre that Rath Yatra can be conducted without compromising on public health and with the co-operation of state and temple trust.
The top court said it is considering the issue of conducting Rath Yatra in Puri only and not at other places in Odisha.
Meanwhile, Union Home minister Amit Shah spoke to Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, the chairperson of the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee, on Monday.
Shah discussed with Deb the rituals associated with Lord Jagannath’s annual Ratha Jatra, which has continued without a break since 1736, and also the religious sentiments attached to the festival.