'Maharashtra CM to take appropriate call on reopening temples post-Diwali': Rajesh Tope

Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope on Monday weighed in on the possibility of reopening temples for worshippers amid the stabilising COVID-19 tally in the state. Mentioning that gyms had already been allowed to recommence operations, he added that the Maharashtra government was positively considering the demand for reopening temples and increasing the permitted number of guests at weddings. According to Tope, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray would take an appropriate decision in this regard after talking to the state Health department post culmination of the Diwali festival. 

While the Ministry of Home Affairs permitted the reopening of religious places in India from June 8 onwards, the Maharashtra government decided against implementing this relaxation owing to the COVID-19 crisis. Tope's update comes amid multiple saints threatening to go on an indefinite strike outside the Tuljabhavani temple in Osmanabad district from November 5 onwards. Currently, there are 1,25,672 active cases in the state while 15,14,079 patients have been discharged and 44,024 fatalities have been reported.

Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope remarked, "The temples must be reopened. We have already opened the gyms. There is also an expectation that the number of guests at weddings must be increased. We are looking at this from a positive perspective. But we are keeping a watch. Perhaps after Diwali, the honourable Maharashtra CM will take an appropriate decision after talking to our department."

Read: Portals Of Rangnath Temple In Vrindavan To Reopen For Devotees On Oct 30

Demand for reopening of temples

BJP and numerous saints have been consistently demanding the reopening of places of worship. Responding to Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari's request on reopening of places of worship on October 12, Thackeray maintained that the primary responsibility of his government is to safeguard the lives of the people. Stressing that it is unwise to lift the lockdown in one go, he highlighted the contours of the 'My Family, My Responsibility' initiative of the state government.

The Maharashtra CM assured the Governor that a decision on reopening temples while taking all precautions will be taken at the earliest. On October 13, protests took place outside the Siddhivinayak temple in Mumbai and the Sai Baba temple in Shirdi. Representatives of the saint community including Acharya Tushar Bhosale met Koshyari at the Raj Bhavan on October 28 to raise this issue. 

Read: Fadnavis Highlights Loss To Temple Economy Amid Reopening Demand, Takes Dig At Shiv Sena