All sentiments, including religious, are subservient to the Right to Life, the Supreme Court said on Friday, and asked the UP government to inform by July 19 whether it would reconsider its decision to hold a “symbolic” Kanwar Yatra. The Uttarakhand government earlier this week cancelled the annual ritual, but the UP government gave it the go-ahead on July 13, despite concerns that it might trigger a possible third wave.

The SC’s direction came after the Yogi Adityanath-led government told the bench of Justices R F Nariman and B R Gavai that it has decided after relevant discussions to hold a “symbolic” Kanwar Yatra. The state told the court that ‘Gangajal’ would be made available in tankers, instead of collecting it from Haridwar.