In recent news in Gujarat, as many as 14 people, including a bride and a groom, have been arrested for gathering in a temple for a wedding amid the lockdown imposed owing to the coronavirus outbreak.
“Upon receiving information about a group of people gathering in a temple, the Navsari police personnel conducted a raid. There the police found 14 people participating in a wedding,” Navsari Superintendent of Police Girish Pandya said on Friday.
Girish Pandya further stated that legal action has been taken against the people for breaching the lockdown norms.
The national lockdown which was first announced on March 24 was extended to May 3 to curb the spread of coronavirus epidemic which has claimed more than lakhs of lives globally.
A couple of days ago, the wedding of Karnataka’s former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil Gowda with Revathi stirred a massive controversy. The ceremony was attended by close to 70 guests amid lockdown at a farmhouse.
The luxurious wedding during the coronavirus lockdown, which had priests, family and close relatives drew massive criticism from all quarters.
Despite the nationwide lockdown and virus warnings, HD Kumaraswamy refused to defer the wedding in the first place. In a video on Thursday, the Janata Dal Secular leader added that the event had been moved from Bengaluru, a “red zone” for COVID-19, to Ramanagara, his assembly constituency and also asked his supporters to maintain a distance.
“I request my well-wishers with folded hands with pain and apologies. At a later date, when these problems are solved, we will have a big reception and invite you all,” he said.
Needless to say, with close to 70 people in attendance, there was clearly no intention of following lockdown norms.
While Karnataka Deputy CM identified as Ashwath Narayan has said action would be taken against the former CM without a second thought if norms were not followed in the wedding, the shocking question is that why was the permission given?
It has been learnt that attendees didn’t maintain a safe distance at the function and most of them were seen without face masks. Deputy Chief Minister CN Ashwath Narayan told the reporters that he asked the district’s Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police to inquire into the charge that lockdown norms were violated.
“Permission was given for the wedding but with guidelines to maintain social distancing and wearing of face masks by all those attending the ceremony. If there is a violation, action will be taken,” Narayan said.
“Lockdown norms were followed and about 100 people, including family members and close relatives of Kumaraswamy, were allowed to attend the wedding at the farmhouse earlier in the day,” Bidadi police sub-inspector C. Bhaskar told IANS over the phone.