BJP opposes BMC’s guidelines for Chhath Puja

As Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections 2022 approach, the civic body has allowed Chhath Puja celebrations this year on November 10 and has strictly asked devotees to perform the pooja at artificial ponds. Responding to this decision the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Mumbai opposed and stated that devotees should be allowed to perform the pooja at beaches and seashores too. With this, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has also asked police personnel to make sure that there is no crowding at beaches.

“At times of Chhath Pooja there is mass crowding to avoid it, Mumbai police should make sure that there’s no crowding at all, organizations who want permission should form their artificial ponds at their own and fill up them after the pooja is done, this will be the responsibility of that organization only,” stated the circular issued by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The directives were given by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) also included the maximum number of persons to 200 in open areas and 100 persons in closed venues, and proper thermal screen of all devotees has also been asked from devotees before they take part in any of the activities.

“The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been asked to allow pooja celebrations at beaches too as they have deployed police personnel to maintain crowd level. The celebrations should be facilitated by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC),” stated Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) corporator Vinod Mishra.

Further, he added that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) should form artificial ponds to avoid crowding and should not put this responsibility on organizers, in other festivals the celebrations were taking place on beaches at a limit, this would be unfair so Chhath pooja should also be allowed. This clash of opinions has come at a time when the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections 2022 are around the corner, with Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ruling the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), India’s richest civic body.

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