E-Paper
HC orders live-streaming from Bankey Bihari temple on Janmashtami
During the course of hearing, the state government counsel apprised the court that the flow of devotees would be managed by installing barricading inside the temple.
The Allahabad high court has directed officials concerned to live-stream rituals performed at the Sri Bankey Bihari temple of Vrindavan on the upcoming Janmashtami. The live-streaming, whose feed will be shown on multiple screens, from inside the temple should be done in consultation with the civil judge (junior division) of Mathura, the court stated.
“When the CCTV cameras are installed, the civil judge (junior division) shall be consulted. The district magistrate shall abide by the directions of the civil judge (junior division) and ensure their compliance,” said the court.
The bench, comprising justices Siddhartha Varma and Ram Manohar Narayan Mishra, passed the order while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by one Anant Sharma and another of Mathura after a stampede took place in the temple in August last year. August 28 was fixed as the next date of hearing in the case.
During the course of hearing, the state government counsel apprised the court that the flow of devotees would be managed by installing barricading inside the temple.
“Barricading serves a dual purpose in the sense that it allows for managing the ingress of devotees as the district administration can ensure that only a specified number of devotees are allowed at any given point of time to ensure that there is no overcrowding inside the premises.” stated the state government counsel.
In the petition, a prayer had been made for proper crowd management, especially during festivals and holidays when lakhs of devotees congregate at the temple.
Earlier, the state government had placed before the court the scheme regarding development of the temple area as a corridor with purchase of around five acres of land around the temple to provide facilities for devotees. As per the scheme, there will be no interference of any kind in ‘puja’, ‘archana’ or ‘shringar’ carried out by Goswamis and whatever right they have shall continue to be enjoyed by them. The order was passed on August 14.
