Gandhinagar, June 23 Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Monday announced that the state government has requested the Advocate General (AG) to seek permission from the Gujarat High Court to allow the Ahmedabad RathYatra to pass, similarly to the apex court's order on Jagannath Puri Yatra on Monday.
Talking to media persons, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said, "The Yatra has over a century old tradition and looking at the traditional procession, we have asked the Advocate General, Kamal Trivedi, to seek permission from the Gujarat High Court to allow the Ahmedabad Rath Yatra on the lines similar to the apex court's modified order on Odisha Jagannath Puri Yatra. The state government will abide by all the restrictions, the Gujarat High Court will impose, to allow the procession to be carried out."
Meanwhile, the lord Jagannath temple in Ahmedabad had carried out all the preparations to hold the Yatra inside the temple premises. According to sources, if the HC allows the Yatra to be carried out in a restricted manner in the city, the chariots will be pulled by tractors instead of devotees.
According to sources, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be participating in the 'Mangla Aarti' at the temple at 4 a.m. on Tuesday morning. Shah will be arriving at the Ahmedabad airport at around midnight with his family from Delhi.
Gujarat Chief Minister Rupani will also participate in the 143rd RathYatra and perform the ritual flagging off of the procession, 'Pahind Vidhi'.
The Gujarat High Court is expected to hear the petitions regarding the Yatra on an urgent hearing basis.
( With inputs from IANS )