Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Srinagar Oct 26 (KINS): BJP leaders and workers Monday threw the COVID-19 guidelines to the wind as they were not adhering social distancing norms during a Tiranga rally in Srinagar.
The BJP held a Tiranga rally to celebrate J&K’s accession with India in 1947. The rally began from Tagore Hall and culminated at SKICC on the bank of Dal Lake. However, it was seen that BJP workers and leaders were not maintaining any social distancing norms and most of them were without wearing masks.
When the rally ended at SKICC where Biryani was served, there was all chaos and were violating social distancing norms.
This all happened in presence of some BJP leaders. “If common people who assemble any place are booked under The Epidemic Diseases Act for not maintaining social distancing and not wearing face masks why no similar action is taken against BJP workers for risking lives of people,” Mohammad Amin, a resident of Nishat told news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS). He was one among those who witnessed when BJP workers created chaos and were not maintaining social distancing norms.
The BJP rally was led by BJP’s general secretary and in-charge for Kashmir Vibodh Gupta and party’s vice president in J&K Sofi Mohammad Yusuf.
The rally was held days after Mehbooba Mufti said she won’t raise tri-colour till the flag of erstwhile state J&K is returned. The BJP workers and leaders were raising slogans and claiming to mark the ‘Accession Day’ while passing through Gupkar Road, which houses residences of Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti.
Gupta in his statement claimed that massive rally stands as testimony to the fact that Gupkar declaration leaders are living in “fool’s paradise”. “Overwhelming response from local people of Kashmir and massive participation in the Tiranga rally is the tight slap on those so-called leaders of Kashmir that have made seditious statements in the last few days,” he said as per news agency KINS.
“The role played by local Kashmiris particularly Maqbool Sherwani also deserves praise. The dream J&K of Maharaj Hari Singh is being envisioned by PM Narendra Modi and the mission of peace, prosperity and development in the valley is at its peak,” he claimed.
A police official said that FIR could be lodged against these people under Indian Penal Code sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (unlawfully or negligently spreading infection of any disease dangerous to life), 270 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and under section 3 of the Epidemic Diseases Act. “It all depends whether the police wants to take action against these BJP leaders and workers,” he told news agency KINS. (KINS)
