Bengal BJP doesn’t appear to practise what Prime Minister Narendra Modi preaches on social distancing amid the pandemic.
At a time of curbs on mass gatherings to prevent the spread of Covid-19, the BJP on Thursday gathered some 1,000 workers, led by state-level leaders like Sayantan Basu and Raju Banerjee, to observe Black Day in Durgapur by marching towards the municipal corporation office.
Opposition parties in Durgapur observe August 13 as Black Day since 2018 to protest the 2017 municipal corporation election that they allege were “massively rigged” by goons brought in by Trinamul that won all the 43 seats.
During Thursday’s Black Day march, BJP leaders and workers rubbed shoulders with each other, some of them spotted without masks.
Basu, the BJP’s state general secretary, called the eventa “spontaneous participation of common people” to oust the Trinamul from Durgapur and the state. On whether the party flouted Covid-19 protocol during the protest, he didn’t reply.
BJP president in West Burdwan Lakshman Ghorui admitted social distancing had not been maintained properly. “We didn’t expect such a massive gathering,” he said. “ We urged people not to come out in large numbers but they came to protest against the anti-democratic ways of the Trinamul,” said Ghorui.
The CPM’s protest near the civic body building saw 500 workers holding party flags and maintaining social distance.
In Durgapur town, 544 people have tested positive for Covid and five of them have died since March.
Durgapur SDO Anirban Koley said they would take legal action against those who violated Covid-19 protocol.
“Any kind of mass gathering has been banned by the government now. We will take legal action,” said Koley.
The political programme started around 12.30pm in front of the civic office building at City Centre and continued for an hour.
However local residents questioned the BJP leaders for violating Covid protocol at a time when Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah were holding virtual rallies to avoid mass gathering.
“Is this a time to hold such a massive gathering? Who will take responsibility if the Covid-19 situation deteriorated in the town after such a large political programme,” asked Sanjay De, a local resident.
As has been the practice since 2018, on Thursday. The party staged an hour-long protest with workers maintaining mandatory social distancing norms. The CPM’s part flag protest saw a gathering of around 500 people who stood at distance holding black flags.
“We maintained proper social distancing during our programme. Such mass protests cannot be held virtually,” said Pankaj Roy Sarkar, CPM district secretariat member.
Criticising the BJP, Rakhi Tiwari, mayor-in-council member in charge of health at Durgapur Municipal Corporation and Trinamul leader, said: “A political party running the Union government behaved irresponsibly. The mass gathering was held at a time when the Covid-19 situation in Durgapur town had started to improve.”
Durgapur SDO Anirban Koley said they would take legal action against those who violated Covid-19 protocol.
“Any kind of mass gathering has been banned by the government now. We will take legal action,” said Koley.
