Amid a huge rise in the number of positive cases near the Kumbh Mela area in Haridwar, PM Narendra Modi on Saturday morning advised that the week-long Hindu Festival, MahaKumbh ‘should now only be symbolic’. As the country is witnessing an unprecedented increase in the COVID-19 cases.
PM Modi stressed the fact that this will give strength to the fight against the novel coronavirus. PM Modi’s appeal came in the wake after 2000 devotees tested positive to COVID-19 within a week.
PM Modi shared this information on his Twitter handle in Hindi and wrote, “Today, I telephonically talked to Acharya Swami Avdheshanand Gir Ji Maharaj. Enquired about the health of all the saints. All saints are providing support to administration for smooth conduct of the fair and I thanked them for it.”
PM added that “Now the both Shahi Snan (Royal Bath) have taken place, therefore I appeal everyone to keep the Kumbh Mela symbolic due to coronavirus crisis. This will give us strength to fight against the virus.”
Replying to the tweet of PM Modi, Swami appealed to people not to come to take bath in large numbers and request all to follow the rules and guidelines for everyone’s safety.
Swami Avdheshanand tweeted, “We respect PM Narendra Modi’s appeal and I request people not to come for snan (bath) in large numbers, in the wake of COVID-19 situation and who are attending the mela (fair) must follow the rules.”
Also Read: Biggest spike of 2.34L Covid cases in India, 1,341 deaths on Saturday
80 Saints are tested positive of the coronavirus
Coronavirus is not under control in the areas near Kumbh Mela. On Friday, 592 people tested positive for coronavirus in Haridwar. 80 saints have tested positive out of which 22 infected saints have been tested positive from Shri Niranjani Panchayati Arena, the Health Department had investigated 300 saints from the same arena.
Top seer died at Kumbh Mela because of COVID-19
Many seers have tested positive for this novel coronavirus after the commencement of Kumbh Mela. Mahamandaleshwar of Maha Nirwani Akhada from Madhya Pradesh Swami Kapil Dev died due to COVID-19 four days ago at the hospital. As per reports, 68 seers have tested positive for the virus between 5th to 14th April.
The Kumbh Mela has been shortened from four months to one month from 1st to 30th April, due to the global pandemic coronavirus. Yet on Saturday, India saw another record-breaking spike in the number of positive cases of COVID-19 in 24 hours. Active cases in India are now 16,79,740 and the tally of infected active cases stands at 1,45,26,609 and the total death toll is 1,75,649.