New Delhi [India], June 27 : Bharatiya Janata Party's Jangpura MLA Tarvinder Singh Marwah on Friday wrote a letter to Delhi's Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, requesting the temporary closure of meat and fish shops along Kanwar Yatra routes during the upcoming holy month of Sawan.
In his letter, Marwah highlighted that the Kanwar Yatra is a matter of deep religious faith, during which devotees of Lord Shiva collect sacred water from Haridwar and other holy sites to perform Jalabhishek of Shivlings in their hometowns.
He urged the government to maintain the spiritual sanctity of the yatra by temporarily closing meat and fish shops near the Kanwar routes.
"This Yatra is a matter of faith, in which Shiv devotees bring water from Haridwar and other holy places barefoot and perform Jalabhishek of Shivlings at their respective places. In order to maintain the religious atmosphere on this auspicious occasion, it is necessary to issue instructions to temporarily close the meat and fish shops located near the Kanwar routes in my constituency and across the UT for the duration of the Yatra, so that the religious sentiments of the devotees are not hurt," Marwah wrote.
He also requested the government to ensure adequate arrangements for the safety, drinking water, health, accommodation, and cleanliness for devotees. "I request you to ensure proper arrangements for the safety, drinking water, health, accommodation and cleanliness etc. of the devotees during the Yatra, so that this religious journey can be completed smoothly and peacefully," he added.
Earlier, CM Rekha Gupta approved new reforms to ensure efficient and dignified service to Kanwariyas (devotees of Lord Shiva). The Chief Minister said that Kanwar service committees will now receive direct assistance from the government.
During a press conference, the CM stated that Kanwar committees will now receive grant-in-aid via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), thereby ending the old tender-based system, which was prone to corruption and the supply of substandard materials.
She emphasised that, "the move will enhance transparency and efficiency, ensuring better services for devotees. Only registered committees with valid PAN, bank details, and registration certificates will be eligible for the grant."
The Chief Minister further explained that Kanwar camps will be classified based on the tenting area and the number of days they operate. And committees will be eligible for a minimum grant of Rs 50,000 and a maximum of Rs 10 lakh.
CM Gupta informed that 50% of the grant will be given in advance, and the remaining 50% will be released only after submission of the Utilisation Certificate (UC), verification with geo-tagged photos by SDM or Tehsildar, and complete audit documents.
In the Kanwar Yatra procession, Kanwariyas collect water from a river and carry it hundreds of kilometres to offer it to the shrines of Lord Shiva. According to Hindu beliefs, Parshuram, a devotee of Shiva and Lord Vishnu's avatar participated in the initial procession. Devotees across the country perform worship, fasting and pilgrimage dedicated to the Lord Shiva.