News Analysis India

Tag: haridwar maha kumbh

  • Mahakumbh: 50 sadhus test Covid positive, akhadas divided over duration of mega event

    Express News Service
    DEHRADUN: At least 50 sadhus from various religious akhadas, who are camping in Haridwar for the Mahakumbh, have tested positive for Covid on Friday. 

    The seers who tested positive include Mahant Ravindra Puri, secretary of Niranjani Akhada. On Thursday, Puri announced that the akhada will consider the closure of the mega event on April 17 from their side. 

    However, voices of the dispute have emerged from religious leaders of the 13 akhadas as well as a disciple of Shankaracharya. 

    Swami Avimukteshwaranand, the disciple of Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati, said, “There is no question of the Kumbh ending before the decided date (April 30). The Mahakumbh is not something that you pull out of your pocket and then put back as you please. This is an event that is based on astrological calculations. Covid behaviour will be followed while the Kumbh goes on.”

    President of Nirmohi Akhada, Rajendra Das, warned that his akhada will break away from Akhada Parishad. “Any announcement of concluding the Mahakumbh before the date is unacceptable. Those who said such things are the ones who are responsible for the spread of Covid 19 the most. They should apologize for their behaviour and statement,” added Das. 

    On Thursday, the secretary of Niranjani akhada Ravindra Puri announced that given the Covid situation the akhada have decided to announce the conclusion of the mega event on April 17. 

    However, the final decision will be taken by Akhada Parishad, the apex body of 13 akhadas. 

    The president of the Akhara Parishad Mahant Narendra Giri is battling Covid and has been admitted to All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh. Interestingly, Giri is also associated with the Niranjani Akhara.

    Commenting on the issue, Subodh Uniyal, state cabinet minister and spokesperson for the government said, “The decision to announce conclusion by an akhada is the decision of that particular akhada. The government has nothing to do with it. But we are keeping an eye on the situation and if the need arises decision will be taken to save lives.”

    The number of cases in the mela area reached over 2,800. Officials in charge of the mela area said that more than 1.2 lakh tests have been conducted in the Kumbh mela area to date. 

    Total 2,838 cases were detected in six days — from April 10 to April 16 — in the mela area. With a positivity rate of around 2%, 339 cases were detected on April 16, 332 cases on April 15, 525 cases on April 14, 594 on April 13, 408 on April 12, 386 on April 11, and 254 on April 10 in the mela area.

    Meanwhile, sadhus from camps of all 13 akhadas have started leaving the mela area given the pandemic situation and important Shahi Snan events have concluded without any hassle. 

    “Seers and saints are leaving as most important Shah Snan events have been attended by all of them. However, there are chances that many of them will come back for the last Shahi Snan of April 27,” said a member of one of the 13 akhadas.  

  • No RT-PCR Covid 19 test report needed to visit Mahakumbh: Uttarakhand CM

    By Express News Service
    DEHRADUN: No RT-PCR Covid-19 test report will be necessary for pilgrims coming for the Mahakumbh officially commencing from April 1 to April 30 in Haridwar, Uttarakhand CM Tirath Singh Rawat has said.

    “We understand the sentiments of the devotees and will make sure that pilgrims face no hassle when they come to Mahakumbh 2021,” said the newly sworn in CM.

    “The Mahakumbh is going to be Divya and Bhavya (Divine and Grand). Devotees can come and take a dip in Holy Ganges but must ensure they follow safety protocols of the central government,” said the CM while speaking to media on Sunday. 

    Earlier, the state government under Trivendra Singh Rawat had issued SOPs making the RT-PCR test report mandatory for attending the religious congregation. 

    This is a total reversal of the state government’s earlier stance under Trivendra Singh Rawat which through various means including the strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) discouraged the pilgrims from attendind the Mahakumbh. 

    Rahul Shekhawat, Dehradun based political analyst said, “The new CMs first instruction was to shower flowers on devotees in Shahi Snan of Mahashivratri. This set the agenda. Now the Mahakumbh will be organized in a manner which is approved by devotees, seers and traders alike.”

    The SOPs which were earlier issued by the Uttarakhand government’s disaster management department did not go down well with Akhadas, seers, local priests and the trader fraternity.

    Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad, apex body of Akhadas in the country said the restrictions in the SOPs stop people from visiting the Mahakumbh 2021 

    The conditions in the SOP include mandatory registration at government portals, negative Covid-19 report (not more than 72 hours old), e-pass allocation for pilgrims, among others. Stern legal action against violators will be initiated under the Disaster Management Act and Covid-19 regulations, as per the SOPs. 

    Suggesting that the Kumbh Mela authorities ‘may consider’ curtailing the total duration of the Kumbh Mela, the SOP listed 15 preventive measures to check the spread of the Covid during the religious congregation.

    Senior officials even went ahead to write to various state governments not to run any special trains or buses for Mahakumbh 2021.