New Delhi, Oct 14 (PTI) The Delhi Congress on Thursday held a protest outside Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence here against the government's decision to not allow Chhath Puja celebrations at public places, a party statement said.

"If the Delhi government could allow the opening of all other activities, including religious functions, denying permission to hold the Chhath Puja, the most important religious festival of Poorvanchalis, was a retrograde step," said Delhi Congress president Anil Kumar, who led the protest.

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According to the protesters, the decision has caused "deep hurt to the religious sentiments of lakhs of Poorvanchalis living in Delhi".

"Chhath Puja is the most important religious festival of Poorvanchalis, and this festival had earned a niche slot in Delhi for the past many years.

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"It was the Congress government which had made Chhath ghats on the banks of the Yamuna and at other water bodies for the smooth and orderly conduct of the Chhath Puja, but the Arvind (Kejriwal) government denied permission to hold the puja on the facile plea that it would spread the COVID-19 infection, though the government did not deny permission to hold other festivals," Kumar said.

He added that this decision amounted to the government treating the Poorvanchalis, whose "contribution to the development and progress of Delhi has been invaluable, in a step-motherly fashion".

"The Arvind government had no problem liberalizing the excise policy and opening liquor shops everywhere, and the mad rush outside liquor outlets had been violating all the Covid protocols with impunity.

"But the CM was spreading the lie that Chhath Puja will spread the Covid pandemic without any evidence," Kumar said.

He added that he had also written to the LG to permit the ChhatH Puja, as the Delhi government had allowed swimming pools, gyms and other social activities to operate, and there was no logic in denying permission to hold the Chhath Puja.

"The government can certainly enforce Covid guidelines among the devotees participating in the Chhath Puja, but denying permission will only hurt and alienate the Poorvanchalis," Kumar said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)