Prayagraj 9th September : The Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP) seers will soon meet with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in order to push for an absolute ban on the consumption and sale of non-vegetarian meals within the radius of 5 kilometers of Sangam as well as all the holy rivers in the state.The seers are dissatisfied with the recent incident , in which an entire group of boys were caught on camera smoking hookah and eating chicken on an inflatable vessel in the Ganga river.
Seers of ABAP the supreme organization of the Hindu monastic orders have decided to convene a conference in Prayagraj and draft an idea, requesting the creation of a law in this direction.
They said they believed that “sale and consumption of liquor and non-vegetarian meals near holy rivers has created picnic spots similar to Juhu-Chowpatty”.
Mahant Ravindra Puri ABAP director and secretary of Shri Panchayati Akhara Niranjani and said, “We are going to perform “pind daan” (a ceremony to pay tribute to the souls who have passed away) at Sangam to commemorate those who died because of Covid in Prayagraj on the 10th September.In this time, ABAP will hold a meeting to examine preparations for Maha Kumbh-2025 , and also adopt a plan to demand the creation of an ordinance to prohibit the consumption, cooking and sale of non-vegetarian foods in and around holy rivers in the vicinity of holy places of religious pilgrimage.”
He stated that “The plan will be then handed over to the chief minister through a group of seers with an request to take action prioritizing it.”
The seer explained that currently there is no distinct law to protect people who engage in these acts and thereby threatening the beliefs of millions of people.Police, therefore, are able to charge those who engage in such acts under the general section of IPC of inflicting harm on religious sentiments and causing tension between communities, etc.
When a law is passed and enforced, strict action against these individuals can be guaranteed, he said.
amita/shs
