The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has objected to the Kerala government's decision to ease Covid-19 restrictions for Eid festivities, with the body demanding suo motu cognizance by the Supreme Court as it did in the case of the Kawad yatra in Uttar Pradesh.
The Indian Medical Association also urged the Kerala government to take back the decision alllowing for public Eid celebrations and cautioned that it will be “constrained to knock the pedestals of the Supreme Court” if it did not withdraw it.
Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi also slammed the Kerala government move, terming it “deplorable”.
“Deplorable act by Kerala government to provide three days relaxations for Bakri Eid celebrations especially because it is one of the hotbeds for Covid-19 at present. If Kawad Yatra is wrong, so is Bakri Eid public celebrations,” Singhvi, a Rajya Sabha member said.
VHP working president Alok Kumar recalled the recent SC observations on the Kawad yatra in Uttar Pradesh and slammed the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government for relaxations despite the state reporting a high number of cases.
The IMA said it was “pained” to see Kerala's decision to allow Bakri Eid celebrations at a time when the state was witnessing an increase in the number of cases and seropositivity.
“It is unwarranted and inappropriate at this time of medical emergency. When many northern states like J&K, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttaranchal have stopped with a constructive sense of public safety the traditional and popular pilgrimage Yatras, it is unfortunate that the learned state of Kerala had taken these retrograde decisions,” IMA President Dr J A Jayalal, and General Secretary, Dr Jayesh Lele said in a statement.
Kerala reported 16,148 new Covid-19 cases and 114 deaths on Saturday, with a test positivity rate of 10.76 per cent. Maharashtra is the other state reporting a high number of cases.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration had recently canceled the Amarnath Yatra in view of the Covid-19 situation, while Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh governments suspended the Kawad yatra.