SC seeks explanation from UP on its plans to hold Kanwar Yatra

The Supreme Court has frowned upon the UP government’s plans to go ahead with the Kanwar Yatra despite advice of caution from the Centre on a third Covid-19 wave. The court said that the citizenry could not understand the UP government’s decision after the PM’s recent statement: “It was up to us to stop it (the wave) and we cannot compromise even a bit.”

A bench of Justices RF Nariman and BR Gavai asked the state government to explain its position by Friday. Uttarakhand has already decided to not permit the annual event. In this backdrop, UP’s plans to go ahead was “perplexing”, the court said. The bench also asked the Centre to explain its stand on the issue. The court also served notice to the Uttarakhand government to get an official stand on whether the yatra was on or off.

“Given the disparate political voices, all speaking at the same time, it is important that the relevant secretary of the Union of India respond to the news report,” the bench said. The SC’s suo motu action followed newspaper reports which said that the UP government intended to go ahead with the yatra on July 25 and statement of the PM during his meeting with CMs of northeast states.


With the economy in doldrums and lockdown fatigue setting in, states and UTs have opened up with cautionary warning to curb Covid-19 spread.