BJP MP Manoj Tiwari has asked the Chief Minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal to give permission for the devotees to celebrate Chhath Puja while adhering to COVID-19 guidelines.
He further stated that a full ban would be unacceptable. During Tiwari’s ‘Chhath Yatra’ at the Yamuna Ghat in the Sonia Vihar neighbourhood of Delhi, BJP MP had a conversation with members of the Purvanchali community about Chhath Puja.
“I urge CM Kejriwal to shed his adamancy and allow devotees to celebrate Chhath Puja while following the COVID-19 protocols. We are ready to follow every protocol, be it social distancing, mask, sanitisation or vaccination. We are not going to accept a complete ban,” the Member of Parliament told reporters here.
The BJP MP questioned Kejriwal that why Swimming pools were open if there is any risk of COVID spread through the water.
“In Chhath Puja, one does not have to take a bath in water, one only stands,” he added.
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Tiwari said that his ‘Chhath Yatra’ will continue till it does not reach every corner of the national capital.
The Delhi Disaster Management Authority(DDMA) in its recent order prohibited celebration of Chhath at public places including on the Yamuna riverbank, along water bodies and temples.
Chhath hugely popular among Bhojpuri speaking people from Eastern UP , Bihar and Jharkhand, is celebrated with devotees, mainly women offering ‘Arghya'(obeisance) to the Sun god standing in knee deep water.
Meanwhile, India reported 18,166 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, the lowest single-day rise in nearly seven months. The country also reported 214 deaths due to coronavirus. The active COVID-19 cases in India comprise 0.68 per cent of the total infections, the lowest since March 2020 — the active caseload at present is 2,30,971, lowest in 208 days.
(With inputs from ANI)
