The government is firm about not allowing the dahi handi celebration today due to Covid-19, but some politicians want to use the Janmashtami festival to their advantage. Some Govinda mandals and organisers too, have decided to go ahead and celebrate the festival, though not at a large scale. But members of the MNS, that is trying to organise a dahi handi event at Thane on a large scale, have threatened to hold the event at Dadar if permission for it is not granted.

Members of many mandals were practicing for the celebration as they hoped they would get permission this year. The government had declined permission for multi-tiered 'human pyramids' to various dahi handi groups to celebrate the festival. mid-day had reported recently that the decision was taken at a meeting of the Dahi Handi Coordination Committee with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, cabinet ministers, MLAs, top police and civic officials, District Collectors, besides members of the Covid Task Force and Covid Child Task Force. While a majority of the Dahi Handi organisers had agreed to comply with the government directives, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leaders had strongly criticised the move to restrict the celebrations.