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At Navjot Sidhu’s installation in Chandigarh, Covid norms, Section 144 restrictions go for a toss
Thousands descend on Congress Bhawan in Sector 15 without masks and flout social distancing norms to watch the leader take over as party’s Punjab chief
As Navjot Singh Sidhu took the reins of Punjab Congress at the party’s office in Chandigarh, on Friday, the brimming crowd completely disregarded Covid safety norms and Section 144 restrictions imposed in the city.
Thousands, including Congress ministers, MLAs, leaders, workers and supporters, descended on the Congress Bhawan in Sector 15, while giving masks and social distancing the go-by.
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The Chandigarh Police personnel deployed to maintain law and order at the venue watched the violations as mute spectators, but a case was registered later in the day.
Lodged under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 51B of the Disaster Management Act, the FIR did not name anyone.
“So far the case is against unidentified persons. We are scanning the footage to identify the violators,” said superintendent of police (SP, City), Ketan Bansal.
Just four days ago, on July 19, the UT administration had banned gathering of more than five persons for processions, protests or rallies in the city, other than at the Sector-25 rally ground, in the wake of the attack on the city mayor and a senior BJP leader.
The number of people at other social gatherings is capped at 200 as part of Covid restrictions.
Who is to be blamed?
Punjab cabinet minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, who oversaw preparations for the event, claimed it was held after taking permission from the UT administration and all senior police officers were also present. However, SDM (Central) Harjit Singh Sandhu maintained that no approval was sought from the SDM office.
Hitting out at the Congress, Chandigarh BJP president Arun Sood questioned, “Will the Congress take the responsibility if the third wave hits the city? They should be ashamed of themselves for endangering the lives of city residents when the second wave has just subsided. A symbolic takeover would have sufficed.”
Chander Mukhi Sharma, a senior AAP leader, said, “The Disaster Management Act and Section 144 prohibitory orders were grossly violated. It seems the administration has imposed these restrictions only to curtail local protests under the pressure of the BJP.”
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Residents, too, took to social media, slamming the administration and police for allowing the blatant violations. “Shame on Chandigarh administrator. Now with which face he can impose restrictions on common people?” a city resident, Balvinder R, tweeted.
Traffic snarls
As the event wrapped up, traffic came to a halt near the Congress Bhawan for nearly an hour. Police had stopped vehicles from reaching the building, so attendees haphazardly parked their vehicles anywhere they found space, including on cycle tracks. However, Chandigarh Police took no action for wrong parking.
Protesting teachers climb to office terrace
Eight Punjab school teachers, protesting for several days for regularisation of services, climbed to the terrace of the Congress Bhawan as soon as the function ended. They were later detained by cops present and handed over to the Punjab Police.
