Kanwar Yatra 2020 Cancelled; CMs Of UP, Haryana And Uttarakhand Decide Amid Rising COVID-19 Cases

With the rising worry over the cases of COVID-19 in the country, traditionally famous Kanwar Yatra 2020 has been cancelled to avoid any congregation of devotees.

Chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh (UP), Haryana, and Uttarakhand (UK) -- Yogi Adityanath, Manohar Lal Khattar, and Trivendra Singh Rawat -- took the decision in a video-conference meeting on Saturday (20 June). The three states have a large number of devotees who take to the spiritual voyage in the Sravana Maas (Month).

The proposal to cancel the Yatra came from saint and religious leaders of the states and was accepted in the meeting between the CMs.

UP CM Adityanath, after the decision, directed all zonal additional director generals of police (ADGPs) and all zonal commissioners to enforce the protocol in their areas, making sure not more than five people gather at one place.

Holding a meeting with officials via video-conferencing, the CM asked them to speak with local religious leaders, Kanwar unions and peace committees, and seek their help in informing people about the decision and ask them to adhere to it.

Other than the Kanwar Yatra, the UP CM has also ordered that more than five people cannot gather to celebrate Eid-ul-Adha (Bakri-Eid) in August.