Amid the rising COVID-19 cases, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged that the mega Kumbh Mela, at Haridwar, should now be ‘only symbolic’.
PM Modi spoke to Swami Avdheshanand Giri of Juna Akhara today and appealed that as two ‘shahi snans’ have already been held, the Kumbh at Haridwar should now be kept symbolic. He said that it would help the fight against Coronavirus.
Responding to PM Modi’s tweet, Swami Avdheshanand Giri wrote that he respects PM Narendra Modi’s appeal. He urged people to not gather at the ghats for ritual baths and requested them to follow COVID-19 protocols.
In the past 24 hours, 2.34 lakh fresh cases and 1,341 deaths were recorded. At Kumbh more than 80 holy men tested positive for coronavirus. Mahamandaleshwar Kapil Dev Das, 65, of the Nirwani Akhada of MP died of COVID-19 complications at a private hospital in Harisdwar on Thursday.
