New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to allow Rath Yatra throughout Odisha except at Puri Jagannath’s temple.
The Odisha government was previously permitted Rath Yatra only in Puri and allowed rituals in the temple location of all other Jagannath temples.
The request was submitted in the Supreme Court against the Orissa High Court order rejected a number of petitions who challenged the direction of the state government to limit observing Rath Yatra in the temples because of Covid, and said the total prohibition on the ritual would “fight the right to religion”.
The APEX court said it agreed with the decision of the Order of the Government of Odisha considering fear spread in Covid.
A Cji N V Ramana bench was informed by Odisha Govt that it was impossible for the country to ensure the obedience of the tight Covid protocol in thousands of Jagansh temples throughout the state.
Cji Ramana said that he was the worshipers of God Jagannath and wanted to visit the Puri Temple for the past half a year.
“But the situation in such a way that I have to pray from a distance.
If Rath Yatra is permitted, it will become a worshiper who can suffer and we don’t want to take risks,” he said.
Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath in Puri is an annual ritual and this time is scheduled for July 12.