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Social distancing missing as 400 people jostle to meet Union minister
At the Nishadraj Bhavan, Tomar felicitated 40 corona warriors. Subsequently, at the collectorate he had a meeting with district officials and public representatives to review the Covid-19 situation.
Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar on a visit to Sheopur - part of Morena parliamentary constituency that he represents in the Lok Sabha - was surrounded by more than 400 people, depicting an abject lack of social distancing.
The minister reached Sheopur, 402 kilometres north of Bhopal, on Monday night and attended certain programmes the day after.
At the Nishadraj Bhavan, Tomar felicitated 40 corona warriors. Subsequently, at the collectorate he had a meeting with district officials and public representatives to review the Covid-19 situation.
At this point, a large crowd of BJP workers and others, more than 400, gathered to welcome him and also to hand over applications and complaints to him for several works, as per a district administration officer.
The video from the scene shows the minister, wearing a mask, walking into a waiting crowd, even as a police officer is trying to push people away. Outstretched hands, holding papers, are being pushed towards the minister as he makes his way to the waiting car.
Surendra Jaat, the district BJP president of Sheopur, admitted that social distancing discipline was lacking, but blamed the Congress leaders, workers and others for the situation.
“Tomar Saheb repeatedly made an appeal to all to maintain social distancing. The BJP leaders and workers were disciplined. But the Congress MLA Babu Jandel, district Congress president Atul Chauhan, their followers, and also certain other people who wanted to meet the minister to hand over their applications and complaints created the chaotic situation,” alleged Jaat.
Congress’ Babu Jandel said the allegations levelled by the BJP are “baseless”.
“I met the minister leading a delegation of six to seven party workers with all of us wearing masks and following social distancing norms as decided by the administrative officers whereas most of the BJP workers, more than 200 in number, and surrounding the minister were not wearing masks and not following the social distancing norms.
“There were about 200 others who wanted to meet the minister to draw his attention to different problems they are facing,” said Sheopur district Congress president Atul Chauhan.
