Maharashtra to reopen religious places from October 7
The Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government earlier did not reopen places of worship fearing a rise in Covid-19 cases. It also cited that a rise in cases could also accelerate the chances of a probable second wave.
Maharashtra government on Friday announced that it will reopen all religious places starting October 7. The chief minister’s office in a tweet said that all religious places of worship will reopen on the first day of Navratri.
“All temples in Maharashtra to be reopened from October 7 - the first day of Navratri,” the Maharashtra chief minister’s office said. The government faced a lot of criticism from the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for not opening religious places of worship.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government earlier did not reopen places of worship fearing a rise in Covid-19 cases. It also cited that a rise in cases could also accelerate the chances of a probable second wave.
The Maharashtra government imposed several restrictions on the Ganesh Chaturthi festival, which is one of the most important festivals in the state, due to Covid-19. Maharashtra saw muted celebrations for the second year in a row as the state welcomed the Hindu deity under the shadow of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The state government asked citizens to strictly adhere to Covid-19 preventive measures. “The Maharashtra government has prepared itself for a third wave, but with all precautions, the state is allowing relaxations in various activities,” Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said.
“Although daily Covid-19 cases are showing a declining trend, everybody should take care and follow Covid-19 protocols. While religious places are going to be opened, people still need to wear face masks and use hand sanitisers. The management of religious places will be responsible for the implementation of such measures,” Thackeray was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
Places of worship were reopened in the state in November last year. They were closed down when the second wave hit the nation and also took a toll on the state. Maharashtra was among the states which saw a record number of cases, hospitalizations and deaths due to Covid-19.
Maharashtra also reopened schools for classes 5 to 12 in rural areas and 8 to 12 in urban areas starting October 4.