PrashantNews
Amid tight security, the fortnight-long Kanwar Yatra on Friday kicked off as thousands of devotees from different states started arriving in the holy city of Haridwar to fetch Ganga water for anointing the Shiva Lingams in their home towns.
DGP Deepam Seth said nearly 7000 personnel of police, para-military, STF and SDRF have been deployed in the Kanwar mela area as part of the security measures. Drones are also keeping surveillance, Seth said,
The Uttarakhand government launched operation Kalnemi against the impersonators who cheat people and play with their sentiments and work against the tenets of Sanatan Dharam in the kanwar yatra. Kalnemi was a demon in the epic Ramayana who was sent by Ravana to stop Lord Hanuman to bring Sanjiwani for the injured Laxman. In the process, Kalnemi, who was impersonating as sadhu, was killed by Lord Hanuman after his true identity was revealed.
As scores of Kanwarias or Lord Shiva devotees start descending Haridwar, the government said it is fully geared up to meet the challenge. The government is expecting nearly 6-7 crore pilgrims in Haridwar during the fortnight long Kanwar yatra which begins on Friday on the first day of the Shrawan month.
In a social media post, the Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said many such cases have come to light in the state where anti-social elements are cheating people, especially women, by disguising themselves as saints. “They (miscreants) not only hurt the religious sentiments of the people but also harm the social harmony and Sanatan traditions. In such a situation, if a person of any religion is found doing anti-social acts, then strict action will be taken”, he said.
He said that just as the demon Kalnemi tried to mislead by disguising himself as a saint, similarly many “Kalnemis” are committing crimes dressed in sanatan garb. The Chief Minister said, ‘our government is fully committed to protecting public sentiments, the dignity of Sanatan culture and maintaining social harmony. Those who spread hypocrisy in the name of faith will not be spared under any circumstances.’
The number of Kanwarias participating in this Kanwar Yatra, which lasts for about a fortnight, is increasing over the years. Last year, more than four crore Kanwarias reached Haridwar and Rishikesh.
The northern Railways has also made arrangements for special trains during the kanwar mela. Meanwhile, the vehicular traffic on Delhi-Haridwar highway will be diverted from other routes due to the kanwar mela.