WEB DESK
Supreme Court has allowed Rath Yatra to be conducted in Puri, Odisha with certain restrictions.
The apex court said Puri rath yatra will be held with coordination of Temple committee, State and Central Governments without compromising with health issue. It said Odisha can even stop the yatra or festivities if they feel it is going out of hand.
The Yatra is scheduled to begin on June 23, this leaves the state government with half a day to come up with a plan.
Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik, shortly after the breather given by the court, has called for a Rath Yatra preparatory meeting in Bhubaneswar.
The Centre and the Odisha government had petitioned the top court against stopping the Yatra, citing years of tradition and faith.
“It is a matter of faith for crores. If Lord Jagannath will not come out tomorrow, he cannot come out for 12 years as per traditions,” Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court.
The famous Yatra, running uninterrupted for 285 years, the court was requested be allowed this year without public participation.
The apex court had earlier cancelled the Yatra, underscoring public health and safety of citizens amid a raging coronavirus pandemic. The court added that “Lord Jagannath won’t forgive us if we allow” it.
“In the interest of public health and safety of citizens, we restrain the state from holding the Rath Yatra and associated activities. We direct that there shall be no Rath Yatra and associated activities this year”, the CJI SA Bobde headed bench had ordered last week.
