On Friday, Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa announced that he was imposing a blanket ban on firecrackers ahead of the auspicious Hindu festival of Diwali. “We have discussed this issue and have decided to ban fireworks this Deepavali. An order is being issued. This is on account of Covid-19,” Yediyurappa had said.
We have taken a decision not to allow bursting of firecrackers in the state, in wake of #COVID19 pandemic. The order will be released soon: Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa pic.twitter.com/MTFyLrZwy3
— ANI (@ANI) November 6, 2020
However, after rampant disenchantment with the decision, the Karnataka CM has decided to partially roll-back his decision.
The Chief Minister’s office of Karnataka released another statement just 8 hours after imposing the blanket ban on firecrackers during Diwali. It said, “We received many suggestions after we proposed a ban on firecrackers this #Diwali. People should celebrate in a simple manner considering the safety of their children & themselves. I request people to burst only green crackers & celebrate the festival in simple way”.
We received many suggestions after we proposed a ban on firecrackers this #Diwali. People should celebrate in a simple manner considering the safety of their children & themselves. I request people to burst only green crackers & celebrate the festival in simple way: Karnataka CMO https://t.co/M3ILOkLEID
— ANI (@ANI) November 6, 2020
Several states have imposed a blanket ban on firecrackers this year ahead of Diwali. This includes the Punjab government that has been unsuccessful in managing the stubble-burning problem that is the real reason of increasing pollution in the Delhi-NCR-Punjab area.
The Punjab government had even boasted recently that they had launched a ‘crackdown’ against firecrackers and its sale even as the stubble-burning issue was at a 4 year peak in the state.
Other states where Hindus can be arrested for celebrating Diwali with firecrackers, like they have been doing for centuries is – Odisha, Delhi, West Bengal, Sikkim and Rajasthan.
Karnataka, though had imposed a blanket ban earlier, it has now said that people can burst green-crackers and celebrate Diwali if they choose to do so. So far, Karnataka is the only government that has paid heed to public sentiment and rolled back its decision of imposing a blanket ban on firecrackers during Diwali.
