Violation of Covid-19 guidelines during Bhubaneswar BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi’s birthday celebration on Thursday has drawn criticism from various quarters.
State Minister of State for Home Dibya Shankar Mishra has written to Union Minister of State (Home) Nityanand Rai objecting to Sarangi’s act.
Enclosing videos of the celebration with the letter, Mishra said the clips clearly show the MP being surrounded by hundreds of women who (except one) are neither wearing masks nor maintaining social distance and indulging in song and dance with utter disregard to the Covid guidelines issued under the National Disaster Management Act.
“I would not have brought this to your notice had this been the first occasion where the Honourable MP has blatantly violated Covid guidelines. In addition to repeated advisories, warnings and booking of at least three cases against Honourable MP for violation of Covid guidelines, there is no improvement in behaviour,” Mishra’s letter stated.
“Such irresponsible behaviour on the part of a people’s representative will de-motivate the Covid warriors and is an insult to all those who have lost their lives. And it also sends a completely contradictory message to the people at large especially in the light of the Honourable Prime Minister’s repeated messages and his appeal yesterday,” the letter added.
Mishra hoped Rai’s office would bring the matter to the notice of the Prime Minister and Home Minister and advise the MP not to endanger lives of people of Bhubaneswar.