MVA not against festivals but Covid-19: CM Uddhav

Amid an uproar over not allowing the opening of temples and banning festivals like Dahi-handi, Maharashtra chief minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray said that the Maha Vikas Aghadi government was not against festivals but the Covid-19 pandemic.

Thackeray has been at the centre of criticism by the opposition BJP for not allowing temples to reopen and banning festivals like Dahi-handi during Krishna Janmashtami and restricting the height of Ganesha idols to 4 feet for the public and 2 feet for households.

Thackeray’s statement comes a day after BJP carried out state-wide protests demanding the reopening of temples.

“The Coronavirus is not a government program, prescribed norms and rules will have to be followed to prevent Covid-19. The Centre also fears an increase in infections during these festivals,” Thackeray said, drawing the notice of the opposition to the back-to-back circulars from the Centre on precautions to be taken during Dahi-handi and Ganesh festival sent out in the wake of a sudden surge of cases in Kerala after Onam festival.

Thackeray also took the opportunity to take a swipe at the BJP’s Jan Aashirwad Yatra, during which its leaders are targeting the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress alliance.

“The “Ashirvad'' rallies are being organised despite the threat of a third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic which is putting the lives of people in danger,” he said while inaugurating an oxygen plant virtually at Thane.

He said when the Shiv Sena was formed it was announced that the party would do 80 per cent social work and 20 per cent politics.

"But today there are parties in the country that are 100 per cent into politics. They do not want to do any work that will benefit the people but they are organising rallies and events that would put their lives in danger," he said.

"These people do not seem to care if some people die due to such rallies," said Thackeray.