'Not written in the Vedas': Uttarakhand says no to live-streaming of Char Dham Yatra

The Uttarakhand high court while staying the Cabinet’s decision to allow Char Dham Yatra to proceed with limited tourists from July 1 had ordered live-streaming of rituals at Char Dham shrines instead.

Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami told reporters on Saturday that live-streaming of the Char Dham Yatra from the sanctum sanctorum will not be allowed as such a practice finds no mention in the Vedas. “After taking into account all the suggestions, we have decided not to hold live streaming of Chardham Yatra as it is not written in the Vedas,” ANI said quoting Dhami.

The Chardham Devasthanam Board held its third meeting, which was headed by the chief minister himself, on Friday, where it was unanimously decided that live streaming will not be allowed. (PTI Photo)

The Uttarakhand high court while staying the Cabinet’s decision to allow Char Dham Yatra to proceed with limited tourists from July 1 had ordered live-streaming of rituals at Char Dham shrines instead. The state government had raised objections to this but the court had shut them down alleging that the state was being sympathetic to the feelings of priests, PTI had reported. Dhami said the government will be filing a plea in the high court in this regard.

“Already holding of Kumbh Mela and permitting a large congregation of lakhs of people on Ganga Dussehra at Har-ki-Pauri at Haridwar, are clear cut proof of the failure of the civil administration to administer the precautionary SOPs,” a division bench of chief justice RS Chauhan and justice Alok Verma pronounced.