No Dahi Handi,Maha CM urges mandals to focus on health initiatives

Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday urged organisers of the upcoming Dahi Handi festival to prioritise health amid the raging Covid-19 pandemic and set aside festivities for a while. Thackeray, said the coronavirus pandemic has forced various restrictions on the daily life of people. He was addressing the members of coordination committees that organise the famed Dahi Handi festival across the state to mark the birth of Lord Krishna.  During the meeting, state Covid-19 task force chief Dr Sanjay Oak said physical distancing cannot be maintained during Dahi Handi celebrations as people come in close contact with each other while forming human pyramids. 

Thackeray said the second wave of the pandemic was receding in some districts of Maharashtra, but peaking in some other places. "This is a window period which we have to utilise to ensure that the livelihood of people is not impacted and the economic cycle continues," he added. Speaking about protests over the restrictions, Thackeray said, "These curbs are meant for the welfare of people. Only a few people speak of protesting against these restrictions. They should rather protest against coronavirus and not against the government," he said. The chief minister said the entire world is reeling under the pandemic which has destroyed many families and orphaned children. "Countries which have vaccinated most of their citizens are feeling the heat of a third wave of the pandemic and are locked down again," he said.

The BJP has demanded Dahi Handi festival be allowed to be organised under certain conditions traditionally."Those who have taken both doses of COVID-19 vaccines must be allowed to organise the traditional Dahi Handi at low heights without crowding. The festival should not be banned," BJP MLA Ashish Shelar said. Thackeray reiterated that a lockdown will have to be imposed again if the daily demand for medical oxygen crosses 750 metric tonnes in Maharashtra.