Chandigarh: India's only Olympic gold medallist, shooter Abhinav Bindra on Saturday questioned the decision to continue the Kumbh Mela amid the increasing number of coronavirus cases in Haridwar.
Earlier, wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, who won a bronze medal at the Olympics, indirectly referenced the Tablighi Jamaat program and made a tweet related to Kumbh on 14 April, through which he had appealed not to discredit Kumbh.
"No one in the Kumbh Mela is reaching there illegally, people are following all protocols, no one is spitting at the security and medical staff, no one is running away after hiding from the administration. Stop defaming the peaceful devotees at Kumbh", he tweeted.
Read: Administrative lapse in Mahakumbh could turn Haridwar into Covid epicentre
Replying to Dutt, Bindra said, "Should the Khumb Mela even be held while an infectious pandemic lays waste to India? A virus does not discriminate between religions."
Read: Juna Akhara welcomes PM Modi's appeal for symbolic Mahakumbh
Later, Badminton player Jwala Gutta also backed Bindra with her tweet asking the same question.
Read: Why Kumbh Mela is not being called off
Over the last five days, a total of 2167 people were found positive for coronavirus in Haridwar.
