The Supreme Court on Wednesday, 14 July, took suo motu cognisance of the Uttar Pradesh government's nod to allow the Kanwar Yatra amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and issued a notice to the Yogi Adityanath-led government regarding the same.
The court has sought the state's response by 16 July.
Justice Rohinton Nariman said that the move by UP was coming despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi insisting that protocols cannot be compromised.
"I read something in The Indian Express. The citizens of India are completely perplexed. They don't know what is going on. And all this amid the prime minister, when asked about a third wave of COVID striking the nation, saying 'we cannot compromise even one bit'," said Justice Nariman, reported Bar&Bench.
Uttarakhand Calls Off Yatra, UP Decides to Go Ahead
The Uttar Pradesh government took the decision to go ahead with the Yatra, which starts on 25 July, even as Uttarakhand called it off.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on 9 July, in a video conference with all the divisional commissioners of the state and senior officers of police zones, had instructed them to ensure that COVID-19 protocols are followed during the yatra, adding that "there should not be any hesitation regarding the safe and successful operation."
Uttarakhand, however, after initial hesitation announced its decision on 13 July to cancel the yatra.
"We discussed with higher officials and with officials from neighbouring states and decided that we will not hold Kanwar Yatra at this time. A variant has been found in Gadarpur, so we don't want to make Haridwar the centre of COVID," Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami said.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)