Delhi declares public holiday on November 10 on account of Chhath Puja
The announcement comes days after the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) allowed the Chhath celebration at designated public places.
The Delhi government on Friday declared November 10 as a public holiday this year on account of Chhath Puja. The government said that Chhath Puja is an important festival for the people of Delhi and, accordingly, it has decided to declare next Wednesday as a public holiday, reported news agency ANI.
The announcement comes days after the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) allowed the Chhath celebration at designated public places. The authority had initially banned celebrations in public places for the second consecutive year due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
The permission followed intense politics over the Chhath celebration, with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Manoj Tiwari targeting Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal over the ban. Kejriwal later wrote to LG Anil Baikal, requesting him to allow Chhath Puja celebrations at public places.
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In a letter to Baijal, the Delhi chief minister said that the Covid-19 situation has been under control in the national capital and the festival should be allowed to be conducted with Covid protocols in place.
"For the last three months, the Covid-19 situation is under control in Delhi. I believe, that we should allow the festival of Chhath Puja to be conducted with Covid-19 protocols in place," Kejriwal wrote.
Chhath is a four-day-long Hindu festival that is primarily celebrated by the people belonging Bihar, Jharkhand, and Eastern Uttar Pradesh. This year, it will begin on November 8 with Nahay Khay and conclude on November 11 with Usha Arghya.