Govt norms made for general public; politicians toss them
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in/ Chandigarh
Punjab in under curfew. Section 144 is already imposed in length and breadth of the state.Govt has imposed many restrictions, on movement, on social gatherings, on meeting and government is issuing advisory from time to time on these issues
During the ongoing curfew “restrictions were imposed on the barati’s to attend marriages. Numbers restricted for cremation of anyone. E Pass required moving within the state and even within the city. Residents faced harassment, even for their genuine movement. Some people even don’t do the last rituals of their loved one’s, who died in the curfew/ lockdown period. As per rituals the family members goes to Haridwara, Kiratpur Sahib and other sacred places to immerse the ashes in the flowing water at these sacred places and due to movement restrictions, they are not able to go and perform the rituals, on time.
All these restrictions are meant for general public. But if you are a politician, these are not meant for you.
Gurdas Singh Badal, 90, former Member Parliament and father of Finance Minister Punjab Manpreet Singh Badal died at Fortis hospital in Mohali on Thursday night and the last rites were performed, yesterday at his native village Badal in Muktsar district.
Trashing the curfew orders large number of leaders, supporters attended the funeral. No proper social distancing norms, number of persons allowed in vehicles ,other safety norms,were followed. State govt advisory were not adhered to.
Anyone can imagine the number of persons along with these politicians were present at the funeral. Besides Manpreet Singh Badal’s family, Parkash Singh Badal (elder brother of Gurdas Singh Badal), SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, Harsimrat Kaur Badal Cabinet ministers Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Sham Sundar Arora, Vijay Inder Singla, Bharat Bhushan Ashu and Aruna Chaudhary Captain Sandeep Singh Sandhu, political secretary to chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, Congress MP Jasbir Singh Dimpa, party MLAs Rana Gurjit Singh, Angad Singh and Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, SAD leaders Bikram Singh Majithia, Daljit Singh Cheema, Sikander Singh Maluka and Janmeja Singh Sekhon along with other leaders, supporters also attended the funeral ceremony.
When contacted the deputy commissioner of Sri Miktsar Sahib MK Aravind Kumar, who also attended the funeral along with other officials, said” we had deputed officers to implement the govt advisory of social distancing” . He said “there is no restriction of vehicle movement in the district”. Manpreet badal too gave a message to his supporters, through his social media , to not to come on his father’s cremation.
Jasbir, a local resident said” that bollywood actors Irfan Khan and Rishi Kapoor had a large fan following, then any of the local politicians. When they died , few days ago, their family, local administration, politicians followed the rules and only sanctioned number of persons, relatives did the cremation”. They set an example. But, what else we can expect from the law makers, when they himself become the law breakers”
May,16,2020
