Admn stops Bhog distribution at Kashidih, Committee protests

Admn should apologise, otherwise no immersion: Abhay Singh

District Administration stopped Bhog distribution at Kashidih and removed devotees citing violation of covid guidelines. However, the action has infuriated the Puja Committee. Alleging administration highhandedness, Puja Committee patron Abhay Singh has said that puja committee would not carry out idol immersion in protest.

Jamshedpur: The District Administration stopped the Bhog distribution at Kashidih on Wednesday. The DC Suraj Kumar himself reached Thakur Pyara Singh-Dhurandhar Singh Club Puja Pandal site with security forces and got the Bhog distribution stopped.

The DC was also accompanied by the Dhalbhum SDO Sandeep Kumar Meena.

Bhog was being distributed at the Club Mandir and the DC got it stopped. The devotees were also removed from the place.

The patron of Kashidih Puja Committee Abhay Singh also arrived at the place and opposed the action against devotees and Bhog distribution.

Puja committee members and Hindu leaders condemned the action of district administration.

Abhay Singh said that entry in Durga Mandir premises with police force is tantamount to hurting religious sentiments and a blatant violation of religious rights of Hindus.

He said that a modest pandal has been made at Kashidih in compliance with Covid norms. The idol height too has been kept less than 5 feet. No fair or shops have been set up. No Bhog was being distributed at Pandal. Instead, people had queued up at Durga Mandir for taking Bhog through coupons as is done every year.

In a tweet Wednesday morning he said that the admn removed the devotees at Mandir and not the pandal and this would not be tolerated.

He said that despite the fact that all norms were being complied with, the administration chased away the devotees without any reason. This must have been done under pressure from someone, he alleged.

Abhay Singh said that the DC should apologise for his unreasonable action, otherwise the idol will not be immersed by the committee. The administration is free to do immersion on its own.

Abhay Singh criticised the action of DC and said that such conduct doe not behove a District Magistrate.

He said that the district administration should have informed the committee through telephone if it received any information about violation of norms.

He said that the people taking the prasad were intimidated needlessly and sent home empty handed. Abhay Singh said everyone can see how Corona guidelines are being followed by Puja Committees. Abhay Singh said that the entire guideline has been followed meticulously in the pandal.

There was no fair anywhere, no mike, no lighting. They themselves are following the guide line, he said. There was no need for the Administration to have taken such intimidating action at the temple.

Later, the DC Suraj Kumar said that the guidelines clearly state that Bhog would not be distributed at Pandals and only home delivery of Bhog was allowed. Yet, he said, people were coming to pandal for taking Bhog. Seeing a crowd for Bhog at Kashidih, the puja committee was asked to not violate Covid guidelines.

He said that Abhay Singh was asked to get Bhog delivered to homes using vehicles.

The DC said that the puja committee had some confusion and it has been sorted out now. Now puja at Kashidih is being done according to corona guidelines, he said.

On the other hand, Abhay Singh condemned the action and sought to know whether doing puja was a crime.

He said that it does not behove an Administrative official to visit a Mandir and needlessly resort to a show of power and coercion.

Seeking cooperation from all the Hindutva organisations and public representatives, he said if distributing prasad from the temple has become a crime, then the district administration should tell them from where the bhog should be distributed.

He said that committee would not do immersion of idol in protest and if the administration wants it may do immersion forcibly on its own.