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The Uttarakhand high court has refused to accept the state government's contention that live streaming of the rituals at Char Dham is not permitted by the scriptures.
Refusing to buy the argument, the bench of Chief Justice R S Chauhan and Justice Alok Kumar Verma said if the Devasthanam Board decides not to permit live streaming of the rituals on this ground, it will have to quote a line from the scripture in support of the argument.
The government made the submission in an affidavit filed by Advocate General S N Babulkar on Wednesday.
The chief justice said he has also read the shastras and nowhere does a line like this appear.
However, the high court refused to pass any order regarding the Char Dham Yatra as the matter is pending in the Supreme Court.
The court's observation came on the advocate general's submission that the earlier order of the court has been complied with and the Char Dham Yatra has been stayed.
He also submitted that a proposal has been sent to the Char Dham Board for the live telecast of the puja but due to the change of chief minister of the state a meeting of the board, which is headed by him, could not take place.
The government also reiterated that people are opposed to live streaming as it is not allowed by the scriptures.
"On the one hand, you are saying that it will be decided while on the other you say that it is not acceptable as per scripture. I have also read the scriptures, tell me in which verse is this ban imposed?" the chief justice asked.
Citing an example from the epic Mahabharata, the chief justice said if Sanjay could give an account of the war to Dhritarashtra through live broadcast, why can't the state government live stream rituals at Char Dham.