The Bombay High Court has allowed the Shia Muslim community to take out processions and perform rituals on the occasion of Muharram but subject to certain conditions in view of Covid-19.
While hearing the petition filed by an NGO, All India Idara Tahfaz-e-Hussainiyat, the division bench of Justice KK Tated and Justice PK Chavan on Tuesday asked the organisers to strictly adhere to the Covid-19 protocols.
The Maharashtra government has relaxed restrictions on local trains, shops, malls and restaurants. Following this, the petitioner also sought leave to permit a procession of about 1,000 individuals from August 18 to 20 for 2-hours daily.
the plea has prayed for about 1,000 people to be permitted but he left it to the court for the final numbers. He said that the names and details of those participating would be given to the police well in advance.
Rajendra Shirodkar also referred to an earlier high court order which had allowed the limited conduct of Muharram rituals amid the Covid-19 pandemic, capping the number of participants and the area that can be covered in 2020.
While saying so, he pointed out that the pandemic situation now is different from the previous year.
The court decided that apart from the Covid restrictions, there can only be 15 persons per truck and 7 such trucks will be allowed to participate in the procession which will be held for 3 hours on August 20, 2021.
Five Tazias will be allowed to be taken and only fully vaccinated persons (people who have taken both doses and after passing 14 days after the last dose) will be permitted on such trucks.
Out of the 105 persons, only 25 persons will be allowed to go inside the cemetery.
The court also suggested the NGO to ensure that each truck has some head of the religion, or some responsible person who can control the crowd during the procession.
The court also took an undertaking from Shirodkar that all such compliance would be followed in letter and spirit during the procession to be carried out on August 20.