Raj Thackeray wants Maharashtra government to reopen temples; 'if malls can be opened...'

While addressing the trustees of the famous Trimbakeshwar temple in Nashik, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray sought to reopen the temples in Maharashtra. Opining that if malls can be reopened, then the temple must be reopened too, Raj Thackeray added that proper SOPs should be in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The trustees had approached the MNS chief for his support for their demand to reopen the temples, which are closed from the past four months since the lockdown was imposed due to COVID.

“If malls can be opened, then why not temples? Proper SOPs need to be in place, as this issue concerns all the temples in the state," Raj Thackeray said.

On Monday, August 17, Maharashtra recorded 8,493 novel coronavirus cases, propelling the state's COVID-19 tally to 6,04,358. At present, there are 1,55,268 active cases in the state. With 11,391 COVID-19 patients discharged in the day, the number of recovered soared to 4,28,514.

READ | Shiv Sena dumbfounded by Maharashtra BJP seeking reopening of religious places amid Covid

Maharashtra BJP chief demands reopening of religious places

Last month, Mumbai BJP chief Mangal Prabhat Lodha wrote to CM Uddhav Thackeray requesting the reopening of religious places in the state. Mentioning that 'Mission Begin Again' had commenced, he noted that shops, markets, bus services have been restarted in a gradual manner. Arguing that Indian society shares a strong bond with God and religion, Lodha reckoned that people required religious support at this time of crisis. 

READ | Sena's Raut in dramatic Sharad Pawar chat: 'Why weren't you linked in Ayodhya movement?'

Sena slams Maharashtra BJP for demand to open religious places

Shiv Sena in its mouthpiece Saamana has slammed BJP for their demands to reopen religious places even as Coronavirus cases in the country surge. Accusing the party of following 'dual policy', Sena said that while the Centre cancelled the Amarnath Yatra, BJP leaders in Maharashtra are demanding to reopen of religious places. Sena asked that on what basis is the demand being made. Moreover, Sena declared that people will not get the tag for being 'Hinduwadi' or 'secular' for opening or closing religious places at the time of a global pandemic wherein 'Gods are under lockdown.'

"Gods across the country are under lockdown due to COVID crisis. Temples, as well as other places of worship, are closed. But a few days ago, senior BJP leaders in Maharashtra demanded that Chief Minister Uddhav should open the temples in the state immediately." The Sena mouthpiece accused the BJP leaders of saying that people need 'mental and religious support' at a time of the pandemic. 

READ | Religious places re-open in Jammu and Kashmir

READ | Rajasthan to allow religious places to reopen again from September 1