Will take 'favourable action': Odisha govt on Jagannath Yatra

Odisha government on Sunday said it will take "favourable action" as legally permissible on a request by Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb that Lord Jagannath's Rath Yatra, which was stayed by Supreme Court this year due to COVID-19 pandemic, be allowed sans congregation of devotees.

After Supreme Court on Thursday stayed annual Rath Yatra, state government had been facing tremendous pressure from different quarters to intervene in matter.

" State Government will take favourable action as legally permissible on request of Gajapati Maharaj when writ petition W.P.(C) . 571 of 2020 is taken up for hearing before Hon'ble Supreme Court," Odisha law department said in a statement.

government's response came a day after Gajapati Maharaja Deb requested it to move a fresh application before Supreme Court seeking modification of its June 18 order. titular king of Puri had also requested state government to request court to allow yatra sans any devotees and only in Puri as festival is "sanctioned and mandated" according to religious scriptures and legal provisions.

More than a dozen petitions have been moved before Supreme Court seeking recall of its order staying historic Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra, which was scheduled for June 23. Some petitioners have prayed to Supreme Court that yatra be allowed to take place and three chariots maybe pulled by servitors of Jagannath temple and police officials in Puri by adhering to social distancing rms, according to law department.

state government said its stand in hearing before Supreme Court on June 18 was primarily related to thousands of ratha yatras taking place all over Odisha, it said. se involve lakhs of people, and happen almost in every gram panchayat, it added.

government said, "More than 5 lakh people of Odisha have returned to state since May. Most of m are likely to complete ir quarantine period by end of June. This along with onset of monsoon has made COVID pandemic likely to peak in State in June and July."

pandemic has killed lakhs of people across globe and so far Odisha has handled it in an efficient manner with lowest mortality rate in country, it said.

"Any congregation during probable peaking period can lead to loss of lives and serious public health hazard," it added.

Odisha government said apex court, on June 18, after hearing all parties including three intervers, passed an order in interest of public health and safety of citizens who are also devotees, restraining state government from holding Rath Yatra this year.

"In meanwhile, Gajapati Maharaj of Puri who is also Chairman of Sri Jagannath Temple Managing Committee, has written a letter dated 20th June, 2020 to State Government, inter alia requesting that Rath Yatra in Puri may be held without any congregation of general public and with State Government taking appropriate steps to prevent spread of COVID-19," it said.

Similar views were also submitted by intervers in Supreme Court during hearing on June 18, it said.