Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday allowed procession and ritual to be issued by the Shiite Muslim community for Muharram, but with certain conditions remembering the pandemic Covid-19.
The judge’s division bench K K Katted and P K Chavan said that in addition to the Covid-19 protocol compliance, the procession, scheduled to be held for three hours on August 20, must be limited to seven trucks with 15 people in each vehicle.
The next court stated that only people had taken the Covid-19 vaccine dose and had completed 14 days since the last dose, would be permitted in the truck.
“Five Taziyas will be allowed to be taken.
105 people, only 25 will be allowed to enter the cemetery,” said the court.
The order was forwarded to the petition submitted by the City-based NGO, all India Idara Tahfaz-e-Hussaiyat who asked permission from the court to take the procession and perform rituals during Muharram, because the Maharashtra government has relaxed the conditions imposed in the city.
The applicant asked permission for 1,000 people to participate in the procession from 18 to 20 August for two hours every day.
Appearing for the Petitioner, senior adviser Rajendra Shirodkar told the court that issued a Taziya, which was a replica of the Mausoleum Imam Husain, and established Sabeels, stalls for food and water, was an intrinsic part of the Shia faith, without the Muharram ritual which was incomplete.
Purnimatian government applicant Kantharia, however, opposed the petition, and argued that controlling the crowd, especially in religious procession, became difficult.
When the court shows that there is significant relaxation with hotels, malls, and shops allowed to open, Kanharia says they have come step by step.
The bench, while allowing the procession, suggested that the applicant ensured that each truck had several senior members of the community to keep the crowd under control and to ensure people participated in the Covid-19 protocol.