Guwahati: Assam's BJP government on Saturday urged the state priests to conduct their coronavirus tests before Durga Puja to ensure that the infection does not spread to the devotees. Officials said, the government has made coronavirus test mandatory for priests before worshipping, but many priests in several districts have refused to do so.

"We have received a complaint from priests that they do not want to conduct corona tests, but if they do not do so and one of them is infected, he will infect many devotees in the next four days," Health Minister Hemant Vishwa Sarma told in a press briefing. The organizers had said that if the investigation is done on Panchami and the priests are found positive, it would be very difficult to get another priest instead.

Sarma said, "If there is such a problem, the priests can be investigated before Panchami. They have to do it, and if it does not happen, the situation will get worse once again. He said that the state government has directed all the pooja pandals to definitely close their doors at 9.30 p.m., but in view of puja and other traditions, the deadline will be extended a few days and will remain open for longer than the stipulated time.

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