The Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government has directed district magistrates across the state to prepare grand cultural programmes at temples of goddess Durga and shaktipeeths throughout the nine days of Chaitra Navratri.
According to the circular issued to district officials on March 10, Akhand Ramayana and Durga Saptashati will be recited at all the temples during Chaitra Navratri which will begin on March 22.
The state government will provide funds of Rs 1 lakh to each district to organise the celebrations. As part of the festivities, photos, geo-locations and details of priests of the temples where the government programmes are scheduled to be held will be uploaded on the state's official portal.
Committees will be set up in each district, under the chairmanship of District Magistrates, that will be charged with the responsibility of choosing artistes to perform during the festivities. Rewards of Rs 1 lakh each have been allocated for the artistes.
Additionally, two nodal officers have also been deputed at the state level to organise these programmes.
Reacting sharply to the announcements, Samajwadi Party chief accused the Yogi Adityanath government of "commercialising religion".
"During the SP government, honorarium was given to the priests and many facilities were available to the visitors. Today, the BJP government is neither increasing the honorarium of the priests nor the facilities for the public, it is just finding new ways to collect money," Mr Yadav tweeted in Hindi. "BJP should not exploit faiths by commercializing religion, the public is angry."
Earlier this month, Chief Minister Adityanath said additional police force should be deployed in all sensitive areas in view of the festivals.
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