PERNEM
Even as Section 144 is in force and on a day when the state administration directed all deputy collectors to create awareness about Covid-19 safety protocols to arrest the spike, Mandrem MLA Dayanand Sopte went about celebrating his birthday in complete violation of rules in the very presence of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, BJP leaders and thousands of people gathered at the Mandrem High School ground on Friday night.
The presence of Sawant, many BJP leaders and thousands of people at Sopte’s birthday celebrations was criticised by the opposition and ridiculed on social media, with many questioning the purpose, validity and enforcement of Section 144 in the State.
Sawant, who had clarified on March 30 that Section 144 is applicable in public places, was himself present at the function and felicitated Sopte in the presence of several BJP leaders, including State BJP President Sadanand Tanawade, Rajya Sabha MP Vinay Tendulkar and Shiroda MLA Subhash Shirodkar. Deputy Chief Minister Babu Ajgaonkar was also present at the function, which went on late into the night.
Social distancing was clearly missing and several people were seen without masks at the venue. Even Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and other BJP leaders were without masks and did not maintain social distancing when they felicitated Sopte on the dais.
Incidentally, at one time during their speeches at the gathering, both Sawant and Tanawade even acknowledged the presence of thousands at the event, stating that such a large gathering was a testament to Sopte’s leadership abilities and popularity among people.
Tanawade even went on to state that people had gathered due to the sheer love of their MLA and it was a reward for Sopte’s work during the lockdown.
Expressing his gratitude at the felicitations, Sopte also admitted he was overwhelmed by the huge attendance at his birthday celebration.
Among the thousands of people present at the birthday celebrations included sarpanchas and panchas of many panchayats.
Even the Pernem police, who claimed to have booked 3,557 persons and collected Rs 5,16,400 in fines for moving without masks in public places, remained mute spectators to the event and did virtually nothing to make people adhere to Covid-related SOPs and health guidelines.
Earlier, the Pernem police had been claiming to be busy creating awareness in public places and appealing to people to maintain social distancing, wearing of masks, sanitising hands and following SOPs and health guidelines.
Sopte’s birthday celebrations in complete violation of rules ironically came on a day when Chief Secretary Parimal Rai chaired a meeting of the State Executive Committee which decided upon strict enforcement activities and preventive protocols across the State.
