Sat, Dec 28, 2024 | Jumada al-Aakhirah 27, 1446 | DXB ktweather icon0°C

India: Make Kumbh Mela symbolic, help fight Covid, urges Modi

Top Stories

Photo: Reuters

Photo: Reuters

Delhi - Several pilgrims to the event have been bathing in the river close to each other without adhering to precautionary measures whatsoever.

Published: Sat 17 Apr 2021, 11:17 AM

  • By
  • Web report

With the Covid crisis raging across India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday sought a quick end to the ongoing Kumbh Mela in Haridwar, which has drawn millions of pilgrims from all over the country.

DON'T MISS:

>> Watch: Passengers run out of Bihar train station in bid to avoid Covid PCR tests

“I made a suggestion that now that the Shahi Snans were done, the rest of the events could be undertaken in a symbolic way,” he tweeted about his conversation with Swami Avdheshanand Giri.

Modi said keeping it symbolic would boost the fight against the Covid crisis.

Responding to the prime minister, Avdheshanand urged people to not to visit the event and avoid bathing in large numbers.

Though the Uttarakhand government claimed that it had set up elaborate systems to conduct quick tests on the millions of pilgrims visiting Haridwar, most of the places were lax and people simply walked through the check-up points.

ALSO READ:

>> Covid-19 in India: Uttar Pradesh declares 35-hour curfew

Also, many of the pilgrims could be seen walking without masks and bathing in the river close to each other without adhering to precautionary measures whatsoever.

The Kumbh Mela is held once in 12 years and lasts from January to April. Due to the Covid crisis, it was curtailed to just one month.



Next Story