Madhya Pradesh minister violates norms at Mahakal temple

Reopening of the famous Mahakal temple in Ujjain after 79 days of lockdown was marked by the flagrant violation of guidelines by the state’s Agriculture Minister Kamal Patel, who not only entered the temple with supporters but handed over puja materials offering to a priest.

The state government has allowed reopening of the religious places with the strict condition that puja materials will not be carried by the devout inside. They can only offer prayer observing social distancing norms.

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Defending his action, the minister said the devout, who came here for “darshan”, are not coronavirus infected and, therefore, there was no harm in his offering puja materials to the priest. “Although I am observing social distancing, people sometimes get physically close and it is not harmful.’

“Anyway”, the minister reasoned, “the COVID-19 is affecting mostly people above 65 years of age and afflicted by some diseases. India’s youth, who are hardworking, are not susceptible to the coronavirus, he claimed.

Religious places have been reopened from Monday across Madhya Pradesh. Temple and mosque management committees have made arrangements to ensure strict adherence of guidelines for prayers.

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Elderly persons above 65, children and pregnant women have been banned from entering religious places such as mosques, temples and Gurudwaras and offering puja materials are strictly banned.

Devout coming to these places are screened for symptoms of diseases such as fever, cough and cold. Only those who are free from all these symptoms are allowed to enter religious places.