"Hope God'll Allow Next Time": Supreme Court Says Rath Yatra In Puri Only

Tuesday, 6 July 2021Newsdesk

Amid concerns that mass gatherings could spark a third wave of Covid infections, the Supreme Court on Tuesday said that this year the Rath Yatra could only be held at Odisha's Puri Jagannath Temple and not at other places in the state. The top court was hearing a batch of petitions by individuals and groups, including the Odisha Vikas Parishad, challenging the Odisha government's decision to cancel the Rath Yatra (except the Puri Jagannath Temple edition) because of the pandemic.

New Delhi, 06 July 2021

As per news report of NDTV,The central government had also wanted Rath Yatras to be held at places in the state. Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said this could be done without upsetting health protocols. However, a bench led by Chief Justice of India NV Ramana dismissed all the petitions; the Chief Justice said: "We hope and trust God will allow the Rath Yatra next time." "I also go to Puri every year... but have not gone for the last one-and-a-half years. I do puja at home... and it can be done at home. (The state) government has taken the right decision," he said. The Odisha government had opposed the petitions challenging the High Court's June order.

Source -NDTV