As the Uttarakhand Government is considering the possibility of opening the Char Dham Yatra in a limited, controlled and safe manner after June 8, stakeholders of the Char Dham shrines and local people have expressed their opposition to this idea.

The chief priest (Rawal) of Badrinath shrine and other priests have requested the chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat that the Badrinath shrine should be kept closed to public till June 30.

In a letter directed to the CM, the Rawal of Badrinath, Ishwari Prasad Namboodari, Dharmadhikari Bhuwan Chandra Uniyal and other stakeholders of Badrinath said that the Char Dhams of the state are closed to pilgrims at present in view of Covid-19 and as per the information available the State Government is considering the scope for starting the Char Dham Yatra from June 8.

“At present the Badrinath Dham is free from contagion of Covid-19 but the way the infection from the virus is spreading, we at Badripuri are very scared. In view of the prevailing situation it would be dangerous if any outsider visits the shrine. Since this place is far away from medical facility and AIIMS, the spread of infection here could be very dangerous,’’ the letter reads.

In the letter, the stakeholders and priests sarcastically commented, “First Jamatis, then migrants and now pilgrims would devastate the state.’’

The opposition Congress party has also questioned the decision of the state government. Reacting strongly, the vice president of Uttarakhand Congress Surya Kant Dhasmana said that it appears that the state government wants to send the novel Coronavirus to the Char Dhams. He claimed that the state government does not have any blueprint for the commencement of the Yatra. “The Teerth Purohits, local people and shopkeepers are not in favour of start of Yatra under present circumstances. Would the government quarantine the pilgrims for 14 days before allowing them to visit Char Dhams? How many pilgrims would be allowed in one vehicle?”

Meanwhile, cabinet minister and state government spokesman Madan Kaushik said that religious places would be opened on June 8 with some limitations.

 On the question on the apprehension raised by the Teerth Purohits and other stakeholders on Yatra, the minister said that CM has assured that the government would take them into confidence on the issue.