Update on the Puri rath yatra: Supreme Court says, Puri rath yatra will be held with coordination of temple committee, the state and central Govt without compromising with the health issues. The Court has allowed the yatra to be conducted in Puri, Odisha with certain restrictions. The court said it cannot “micro-manage” the Yatra and will leave it to wisdom of state, Centre and temple management. The court also said that Odisha can even stop the yatra or festivities if they feel it is going out of hand.
The Supreme Court was hearing pleas seeking modification of its order which stayed this year’s historic Lord Jagannath’s Rath Yatra in Puri due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Centre told the apex court that Rath Yatra in Puri can be allowed without public participation in view of the coronavirus pandemic and said the “tradition of centuries may not be stopped”.
The Odisha government also supported the Centre’s stand in the apex court, which is likely to hear the plea seeking modification of its June 18 order staying this year’s Puri Rath Yatra due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It is a matter of faith for crores. If Lord Jagannath will not come out tomorrow, he cannot come out for 12 years as per traditions,” said Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who mentioned the matter before a bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra.
