Kanwar Yatra row: Is UP inviting third Covid wave?

A day after the Uttarakhand government cancelled the Kanwar Yatra in view of a possible third wave, the Supreme Court on Wednesday took suo motu cognisance of a disturbing news on Uttar Pradesh government's decision to allow the yatra amidst the pandemic and sought responses from the state as well as the Centre.

The Yogi Adityanath government on Tuesday allowed the yatra from July 25 despite concerns raised in various quarters over the risk posed by such events in triggering a possible third wave of COVID-19. UP CM has urged, however, that only a minimum number of people should participate in the annual Kanwar Yatra and directed strict implementation of the COVID-19 protocol.