Chandigarh Literati Fest: Cops slam brakes on mushaira

Police claimed as the venue — Lake Club — falls in a silent zone, the programme was violating norms and leading to noise pollution.

A high drama unfolded on Day 1 of Chandigarh Literati 2017 on Saturday, when the final session — trilingual mushaira — was abruptly brought to an end by UT police.

Star poet Waseem Barelvi resumed his session in absence of the loud speakers. (Sikander Singh/HT)

As star poet Waseem Barelvi was reading out one of his verses to an engrossed audience around 8:15pm, a police official cut off the speakers.

Police claimed as the venue — Lake Club — falls in a silent zone, the programme was violating norms and leading to noise pollution.

While the audience and festival organisers huddled around the cops, appealing them not to “disrupt” the session, which had commenced at 5.45pm and was likely to end soon, police refused to budge.

In what some called as a “blessing in disguise”, Barelvi asked the audience to assemble near the stage and then resumed the session with another verse, in absence of the loud speakers.

Putting a united face, other six poets stood next to him as he went on to dole out his famous verses for another 10 minutes.

Speaking to HT, Chandigarh deputy superintendent of police (DSP, central) Ram Gopal said: “A section of media pointed out that the event was being held in silent zone without the necessary permission. The cops on duty asked the organisers not to use loudspeakers. Since they could not show the permission, the loudspeakers were turned off.”