BHOPAL: Amid controversy over FIRs lodged against organisers of some Durga Puja pandals, district collector Avinash Lavania and DIG Irshad Wali have said that the action taken in three cases has nothing to do with ‘Durga Utsav’ but concerns gambling by people near the pandals and allowing fairs in contravention to Covid-19 norms.
Lavania said that none of the FIRs are against erecting of pandals for the installation of Goddess Durga’s idols.
He further said that the district administration and police are cooperating with the organisers in all possible ways to let them conduct activities during the festival in a smooth manner and not to cause any inconvenience to devotees Wali also said that action has not been taken against devotees visiting pandals.
Both ruling BJP and Congress had taken up the issue of alleged harassment of ‘Durga Utsav’ organisers by the police and administration in the name of Covid protocol and asked for lifting of unnecessary restrictions imposed on the organisers and devotees visiting Durga pandals.
