The government has taken a serious view of the Agnihotra organised by some persons, including MLA and BJP leader Abhay Patil, in violation of the lockdown in Belagavi on Wednesday.
Deputy Commissioner M.G. Hiremath has instructed officials to file a case with the jurisdictional police against the procession under the Epidemic Diseases Act. Officers at Shahapur police station said the COVID-19 nodal officers were yet to approach them with a complaint.
Meanwhile, Mr. Patil said the Agnihotra rituals would continue till the second week of June and would be observed by 300 families.
Mr. Patil had attracted the attention of the State by joining a public Agnihotra event organised by his followers in old Belagavi area. A slow-burning fire with wood and medicinal herbs was taken around the old city in a push cart. According to the leader, around 50 families had performed the ritual in their homes. He claimed that the ritual was meant to “rid the city of COVID-19 virus droplets from the air”. He also argued it was not a violation of the lockdown norms.
He claimed ancient Indian medicinal systems like Ayurveda stressed on the importance of such rituals. “This is our effort to remind ourselves about Agnihotra and other native medicinal practices,” he said.
