Delhi Congress president Arvinder Singh Lovely on Tuesday demanded that the Delhi government and Lieutenant-Governor Vinai. Kumar Saxena declare November 19 a dry day for Chhath Puja, keeping in mind the religious sentiments of the Purvanchali community.
Purvanchalis are Bhojpuri-speaking people from eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and parts of Jharkhand. A large number of them have settled in Delhi, making them one of the largest voter bases in the Capital.
The Excise Department had last week declared six dry days for the remaining months of the year. The order did not include November 19, the day when the four-day festival culminates.
“The Excise Department should apologise to the people of Purvanchal and revise its list of dry days,” Mr. Lovely said, addressing party workers in the East Delhi and North East Delhi Lok Sabha constituencies. The two seats have a significant population of Purvanchalis. Chhath Puja is a major festival for the community and devotees observe it by offering prayers on the banks of the Yamuna.
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