India Tomorrow
BENGALURU, MAY 28— The Karnataka BJP government has hinted that religious places, including temples, mosques and churches, will open from June 1 after the ongoing lockdown 4.0 ends on May 31. However, they will have to maintain social distancing norms.
All social, political gatherings and congregations, including religious ones, were banned on March 24 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced nationwide lockdown in order to contain spread of Coronavirus. The first 21-day lockdown has been extended thrice – on April 14, May 4 and May 18.
On Tuesday, Karnataka state minister Kota Srinivas Poojary announced that the state government has decided to open temples coming under the Muzrai department of the government. There are nearly 35,000 Muzrai temples in the state.
“Movement of people on air and rail has started. We have been receiving repeated pleas from devotees that temples should be opened. When this was discussed with the CM during a review of the Muzrai department, it was decided that temples can start from June 1,” the minister told reporters.
However, on Wednesday, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa included other religious places, including mosques and churches, in his government’s relaxation plan subject to nod from the central government.
Talking to reporters outside the state assembly where he was to offer floral tribute to country’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Yediyurappa said: “Once we say temples can open, churches and mosques should also open. There will be no restrictions on them. But the State government has been awaiting the Central government’s permission for re-opening…”
However, if got nod from the centre, the state is likely to allow only day-to-day activities inside religious places, not fairs and ceremonies.
Meanwhile, the state government has already launched an app-based online booking of ritual services in 52 state-managed temples.
