The Maharashtra government will be making efforts to restart Nag Panchami (worshipping alive Cobra snakes) as per the traditional Hindu rituals, which has been banned since 2006. Nag Panchami festival this year falls on July 29.

This comes after BJP Shirala Assembly constituency legislator Satyajit Deshmukh moved a calling attention motion to raise the issue of serpent worship. The constituency and Battis Shirala village in Sangli district are famous for live snake worship, which was later banned, following a petition by wildlife activists.

On Wednesday, Deshmukh, while speaking in the Legislative Assembly, explained the religious importance and feelings of locals for the festival. “Government should allow permission to restart the traditional practice of worshipping live snakes,” Deshmukh stated.