BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra has reached the Supreme Court against the decision to ban Lord Jagannath’s Rath Yatra in Odisha in view of the threat of Corona virus in the country. Sambit Patra, who contested the Lok Sabha elections from Puri, has requested that he review his order prohibiting Puri’s Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra in the wake of the Corona virus epidemic.

The BJP spokesperson has filed a petition saying that the Rath Yatra may be allowed to be conducted without the congregation of devotees through the 800 services of Lord Jagannath, who come negative in the Kovid test. The case is to be heard today. More than 20 petitions against the ban on Puri Rath Yatra have been filed in the Supreme Court. It is noteworthy that this rath yatra is to begin from June 23.

Today I filled an Application for clarification/modification of earlier order of SC and sought permission for the Holy Rath Yatra of Shri Jagannath Mahaprabhu in Puri scheduled for 23rd June
Hope all our prayers are answered by the Lord of the Universe #JayJagannath pic.twitter.com/cIBKq4SVqX

— Sambit Patra (Modi Ka Parivar) (@sambitswaraj) June 21, 2020

Patra has tweeted, Today I have filed an application for clarification/review on the old order of the Supreme Court and requested to allow the holy Rath Yatra of Shri Jagannath Mahaprabhu in Puri on 23 June. Please tell that the Odisha cabinet has also decided to follow the order of the Supreme Court on the Rath Yatra.

Odisha government will not organize Lord Jagannath’s Rath Yatra in Puri this year in view of Covid-19 epidemic. This decision was taken in the emergency meeting of the state cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik following the order of the Supreme Court.

What did the Supreme Court say in its decision

During the hearing, the Supreme Court had said that Lord Jagannath will not forgive us if we allow the Rath Yatra this year. The court further said that the Rath Yatra could not be allowed in Puri this year, keeping in view the safety and public health of the citizens. This decision was given by a bench headed by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde.