Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member of Parliament Tejasvi Surya on Wednesday said that he has asked the city administration to reconsider their Covid guidelines on Durga Puja celebrations in Bengaluru after prominent right wing personalities questioned the restrictions on Hindu festivals. “I spoke to @BBMPCOMM & asked him to revisit the Durga Puja rules which are discriminatory, arbitrary & illogical. He assured me that these rules will be reviewed forthwith & sentiments of devotees will be given utmost importance. Let’s celebrate with all fervour!,” Surya said in a post on Twitter.
The statements come after the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) issued guidelines to public on the celebrations. The BBMP and the Basavaraj Bommai-led state government have been trying to keep a lid on festivals as the threat of the third wave of Covid- 19 pandemic looms large over the state.
“There is a general tendency in sections of the bureaucracy to think that it’s okay to put any and every kind of restrictions on Hindu festivals. This is a colonial relic. Post 2014, the awakened Hindu resists such attempts. This colonialism must end too,” Surya added.
The BJP government has been under attack by it’s own legislators and partymen over what they call “targeting of Hindu festivals”.
The BBMP, in its guidelines, has specified that the height of the idol cannot exceed 4 ft and a maximum of 50 people can participate during prayers.
The civic body also said that the idol in public places must have the approval of the joint commissioners and that people should maintain Covid appropriate behaviour like wearing of masks and social distancing among other measures. The BBMP has also put a ban on orchestra, processions and the presence of any DJs.
{{/usCountry}}The civic body also said that the idol in public places must have the approval of the joint commissioners and that people should maintain Covid appropriate behaviour like wearing of masks and social distancing among other measures. The BBMP has also put a ban on orchestra, processions and the presence of any DJs.
{{/usCountry}}Several people even took to Twitter to criticize the BBMP on its guidelines.
Bengaluru counts a large number of migrants from Bengal who celebrate the festival in a grand manner with pandals, food and music among other activities.
The BBMP has said that the all organizers of pujas must mandatorily do sherman screening, keep sanitizer bottles and sanitize chairs, tables and floors at least four times a day.
The BJP government had been at the receiving end of criticism over the Ganesha festival rules and even the demolition of the temple in Nanjangud of Mysuru district, attracting the ire of it’s own elected representatives.