Will defy ban to celebrate Chhath Puja in 'grand manner': Delhi BJP

The politics over the ban on Chhath puja celebrations at public places in New Delhi intensified further on Monday with Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party chief Adesh Gupta declaring that the festival will be celebrated in a grand manner and the municipal corporations ruled by the party will make arrangements for it.

The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) in an order last week prohibited Chhath Puja celebrations at public places, including riverbanks, water bodies and temples, in view of the COVID-19 situation.

Delhi BJP MP Manoj Tiwari has also started a 'Rath Yatra' to take the opinions of Purvanchalis (people of Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh settled in Delhi), and had also warned that the DDMA order will be defied if people are stopped for celebrating Chhath.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, however, had earlier alleged that the opposition was playing 'dirty politics' over the issue.

"The BJP declares that we will celebrate Chhath Puja, and arrangements will be made for it by the municipal corporations," Gupta said at a press conference along with Tiwari.

The BJP has vocally protested the Chhath Puja ban imposed by the Arvind Kejriwal government, and party leaders, including Tiwari, had been interacting with puja committees over the issue, Gupta said.

"We will make arrangements along with Chhath Puja Samitis. Not just symbolically, Chhath will be celebrated grandly with BJP workers systematically making all the arrangements," Gupta said.

Earlier, reacting to Tiwari's Rath Yatra against the Chhath ban, Kejriwal had said the decision to not allow celebrations at public places was taken in view of the safety of the people and opposition was doing 'dirty politics' over a sensitive issue.