PIL Spanner In Rath Yatra Works

Cuttack: Even as construction of chariots for the annual Rath Yatra is on in full swing in Puri, with strict adherence to social distancing guidelines, a public interest litigation (PIL) was filed in the Orissa High Court on Thursday seeking postponement of the mega festival.

The PIL, filed by Ganjam-based Bharatiya Bikash Parishad president Surendra Panigrahi, said the Centre and the state government have extended the lockdown in phases for eight weeks to contain the spread of COVID-19. However, going by gradual rise in the number of infected patients in the country, including Odisha, every day, the lockdown extension may go beyond Rath Yatra.

The petitioner has also alleged saying that some business-minded and selfish people have suggested the state government to conduct the festival without the congregation of devotees with strict adherence to social distancing norms and sealing entire Puri city. This will lead to restrictions on individual freedom of religion in gross violation of the Constitution.

Without mentioning that the Rath Yatra has been going on uninterruptedly for 273 years since 1736, the petitioner has tried to convince the court that the mega festival has not been held on 32 occasions in the last 425 years.

The PIL comes at a time when the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration is closely monitoring construction of three chariots for the June 23 festival and carpenter-servitors are working hard to meet stiff deadlines. Construction of chariots, delayed due to corona pandemic and uncertainty over holding of the event, began earlier this month after the Centre gave go ahead. However, the Union government has asked the Odisha government to decide on holding of the world famous Yatra with which the religious sentiments of crores of people are attached.