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With rising Covid-19 cases, Goa’s churches, mosques will not reopen on June 8
On Friday, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that while religious institutions would be allowed to reopen, only individuals would be allowed at a time.
Churches and mosques will not reopen in Goa despite permission from the Central government to do so with leaders of the respective communities saying that the situation is still not conducive for reopening places of worship.
In a statement to the media, the Association of All Goa Muslim Jamaats has said that until June 30, they have requested all mosques not to open their doors to followers in view of the spike in cases of Covid-19 in the state.
“In Goa since June 1, Covid-19 cases have been on the rise. We have touched almost 196 positive cases in the past one week and it’s an alarming spike in coronavirus cases. We the executive committee members of the Association of All Goa Muslim Jamaats have decided to delay the reopening of all mosques in the state,” Shaikh Basheer Ahmed, the president of the association, said.
In a statement, the executive has requested committee members/heads of jamaats of mosques across Goa to implement the advisory which has been issued keeping in mind the rapid spread of Covid-19 cases in the state and to help stop potential community transmission.
“Masjid committees are requested to adhere to our previous advisory guidelines issued by us with regard to offering regular five times namaaz from home including Jumma namaaz (Friday prayers). These guidelines shall be followed till the end of June,” he said.
Church authorities too have declined to open churches for worship and prayers.
“We would like to inform our priests and faithful that we are critically assessing the novel coronavirus-related fluid situation that has come upon our state and that, therefore, we are not in a position to declare our places of worship open from tomorrow, June 8,” Father Barry Cardozo a spokesperson for the Church, said.
“When we eventually decide to open up, with prudence, vigilance and careful discernment, it will be in consonance with the state government’s SOPs, which we expect to receive by then,” he added.
On Friday, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that while religious institutions would be allowed to reopen, only individuals would be allowed at a time.
“No functions can be held in religious places. We have said that if temples, churches and mosques open, then groups of people coming and performing prayers or aarti will not be allowed, it should be limited to routine pooja for individuals or individuals taking darshan,” Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said.
Several churches including the Archbishop of Goa have been streaming the religious services live for the benefit of their congregations.
Despite the Central Government allowing for the reopening of religious places, several people have expressed apprehension that the reopening would make these places hotspots of community transmission of Covid-19.
