BY : NEHA SHAHAB

 MASSIVE KANWAR YATRA HELD AGAIN 

THE UTTARAKHAND GOVERNMENT ON TUESDAY CANCELLED THIS YEAR KANWAR YATRA IN VIEW OF COVID 19 PANDEMIC. IT IS SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR THAT THE YATRA IS NOT BEING HELD DUE TO COVID 19. KANWAR YATRA HAVE SEEN MASSIVE CROWDS OF ANYTHING FROM 3 CRORE TO 5 CRORE PEOPLE CONVERGING AT HARIDWAR. CM OF UTTRAKHAND PUSHKAR SINGH DHAMI SAYS EVERY LIFE IS PRECIOUS. 

KANWAR YATRA IS ALSO CALLED ' JAL YATRA ' WHICH IS AN ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE OF LORD SHIVA'S DEVOTEES.

THE COUNTRY HAD SEEN A MASSIVE RISE IN CASES EARLIER THIS YEAR WHICH LED TO THE SECOUND WAVE OWING MOSTLY TO FESTIVITIES AND THE KUMBH MELA WHICH WAS ATTENDED BY LAKHS.

PUSHKAR SINGH DHAMI CM OF UTTARAKHAND , SUGGESTED THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO KEEP THE KANWAR YATRA SUSPENDED AND REQUESTED HIS COUNTERPART UP CM YOGI ADITYANATH TO RECONSIDER HIS DECISION TO ALLOW THE YATRA.

ADDRESING THE MEDIA , CM DHAMI SAID "KANWAR YATRA IS A MATTER OF FAITH BUT GOD WOULD NOT WANT PEOPLE TO LOSE THEIR LIVES FOR THE FAITH , EVERY LIVES IS PRECIOUS " . HE FURTHER ADDED THAT BEFORE ME , A DECISION HAD ALREADY BEEN TAKEN BY THE STATE CABINET ON JUNE 30 THAT THE KANWAR YATRA WILL NOT BE ALLOWED. THIS CAME SOON AFTER HIS DISCUSSION WITH PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI AND HOME MINISTER AMIT SHAH ABOUT THE ANNUAL  PILGRIMAGE