‘Why has Centre, Maharashtra BJP taken different stands on fests, reopening of temples?’

On Thursday, Union health secretary wrote to state chief secretary, asking him to impose restrictions on dahi handi and Ganesh festival

The Congress has pointed at the contradictory stands taken by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government in the Centre and the party’s Maharashtra unit over celebration of the festivals and reopening of temples amid the threat of potential third wave of Covid-19.

BJP’s state unit chief Chandrakant Patil has asked all party workers, office bearers and elected representatives to participate actively in the protest near their homes. (HT FILE)

Despite the Narendra Modi government’s directives on restrictions on festivities, why are the Maharashtra BJP leaders demanding that celebrations be allowed and temples be reopened, the Congress has asked.

BJP’s spiritual coordination cell has announced a ‘Shankhnaad’ protest on Monday to push the demand of reopening of the temples in the state. BJP’s state unit chief Chandrakant Patil has asked all party workers, office bearers and elected representatives to participate actively in the protest near their homes. Other BJP leaders have announced to violate the prohibitory orders of the state government and celebrate dahi handi. BJP leader Ram Kadam said that they will celebrate dahi handi even if the permission was not granted.

“A few dahi handi mandals have been seeking state’s permission by imposing restrictions, but the government has been giving step-motherly treatment to Hindu festivals. They have been allowing celebrations of other religions. We will not tolerate this. If the state government, which has been issuing orders by sitting in air-conditioned offices, is not allowing us to celebrate, we will violate the orders,” Kadam said.

Raising questions over the ‘contradictory views’ taken by BJP’s state leadership. Congress general secretary and spokesperson Sachin Sawant said, “The Niti Aayog has projected that the Covid-19 case count in Maharashtra could go up to 6 million, while Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan has written to Maharashtra government to restrict the dahi handi and Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations to contain the spread of the virus. Despite that, BJP leaders have been politicising the issue by demanding that temples be reopened and celebrations be allowed. It is surprising that while the Modi government is asking states to impose restrictions on festivals, Maharashtra BJP leaders are acting immorally,” he said.

On Thursday, Bhushan wrote to state chief secretary Sitaram Kunte, asking him to impose restrictions on dahi handi and Ganesh festival.

“In the view of the mass events and public gatherings expected during the celebrations of upcoming festivals, including dahi handi and Ganpati utsav in Maharashtra, it is advised that the state may consider imposing and enforcing local restrictions in public observation of these festivals and mass gatherings,” the letter has stated.

Sawant said the state government and police should take strict actions against them if they violate the prohibitory orders issued by the administration.