Still unexplained
The hunt for the origins of Covid-19 has for the past four years been a tangled web of politics, power struggles, and international finger-pointing.
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Wednesday said the state is willing to open religious places from 1 June and added that he has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting the same.
“We are going to open temples, mosques and churches in the state after May 31st.” he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Yediyurappa, however, said that the state government will wait for the PM’s decision over reopening of religious places.
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“We have to get a lot of permissions before opening up, so let’s wait and see. If we get permission, places of worship can open by June 1,” CM was quoted by NDTV as saying.
The Bharatiya Janata Party leader’s request comes just a few days before the fourth phase of the nationwide lockdown, imposed to curb the spread of Coronavirus, is set to end on May 31. The lockdown was first imposed on March 25.
Since the, all religious gatherings have been banned to curb the spread of Coronavirus.
In its guidelines, the Centre had ordered that all religious places, places of worship will be closed for public until further notice. It also prohibited religious congregations and functions. Although several states issued relaxations in the fourth phase of the lockdown, religious places continue to remain shut countrywide.
On Tuesday, Minister for Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments (Muzrai), Kota Srinivas Poojary said that temples in the state will open for public from June 1.
“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,” Muzrai Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary told reporters.
Poojary said that the plan is to allow all “sevas” (rituals) in the temples once they open. However, he said they may limit it to a few. “We will decide on it,” Poojary added.
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