Chief Minister of Goa Shri Pramod Sawant has scrapped his government’s Covid Standard of protocols for the upcoming Ganesh Chaturthi season issued by the state administration. He said, the protocol does not agree with a specific guideline that bars priests from visiting homes to offer puja on the festive occasion.

While announcing his decision to scrap the SOPs, Sawant said, “I personally do not agree with some of the guidelines that were issued in the SOP, especially the one stopping priests from going to individual households for puja. Ganesh Chaturthi is the most important festival in Goa and such rituals are an integral part of it,  He said, “While the expert committee may have suggested such curbs, I have asked the administration to withdraw the SoP immediately, adding that Chaturthi must be celebrated with full fervour while taking all the necessary precautions, given the pandemic.”

He said, “The priest shall be prohibited from performing Ganesh Pooja by going to individual households, they may perform online pooja. Also, the families should be encouraged to perform self puja using various technological means like YouTube, WhatsApp, etc,” the now cancelled SOPs also previously said.

The Congress on Wednesday lashed at the BJP-led coalition government for the confusion ahead of the state’s most important Hindu festival, especially at a time when Covid cases have seen an increase in the neighboring state of Maharashtra.

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