Cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu’s ‘mask-less’ act of distributing masks has come under Amritsar Administration’s scanner with the Chief Minister’s Office forwarding a demand notice against the Congress MLA to the Deputy Commissioner concerned. The development comes after a Chandigarh-based advocate has written a letter to the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh demanding to put Sidhu into home quarantine and also withdraw his security during the lockdown period as the former minister is roaming around in Amritsar without a mask amid Covid-19 scare.
Advocate and activist HC Arora, in his letter, has also set a three-day deadline for the Chief Minister, while making it clear that he would be “left with no other option, except to file an urgent writ petition (PIL) in the High Court, for seeking requisite relief, in the public interest”.
“Needless to state that in case appropriate action is not taken on this demand within next two or three days, in that event, I shall be left with no other option, except to file an urgent writ petition (PIL) in the Hon’ble High Court, for seeking requisite relief, in the public interest,” said Arora, in his letter to the Chief Minister.
It has been learnt that the Chief Minister, after receiving the demand notice through e-mail, has forwarded the same to Amritsar Deputy Commissioner for taking appropriate action.
Notably, Arora has also written to the Chief Minister on April 17 urging him to direct the authorities at Amritsar to register an FIR against “VIP figure” for repeatedly moving in the city without wearing a face mask, and thereby putting not only his safety but also the safety of the public, at risk due to spread of Covid-19 pandemic.
The same day, Arora noted, the Chief Minister had issued strict instructions to authorities all over Punjab to challan all those people who come outside their homes without wearing face masks. “I have, however, to point out that ink on your orders had not even dried when yesterday again Sidhu travelled on Amritsar roads in his car, and then came out of his car in front of Civil Hospital, Amritsar, without any mask on his face,” he said while pointing at the related news telecasted on national TV news channels.
Arora added, “Thus, a stage has been reached when Sidhu should be restrained from coming out of his residence and should be ordered to be put under home quarantine during the whole of curfew period, and his security should also be withdrawn, or to register a case against him, as he is misusing his security also by taking his security men along while violating the curfew order,” he demanded. Action be also initiated against Amritsar DC or Commissioner “for deliberate inaction in this sensitive matter pertaining to the safety of the public”. Sidhu, on Saturday, donated 1,000 N95 masks to frontline healthcare personnel of Amritsar and Taran Tarn civil hospitals, and the Government Medical College in Amritsar — which was his fifth public visit since the curfew was imposed in Punjab. To top it all! He defied government orders of mandatory wearing of masks in all his visits. During his brief visits across his constituency, even his security guards and supporters were not seen wearing masks.
It may be pointed that Punjab has made wearing a mask compulsory in public past week. On Friday, the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had ordered strict enforcement of the compulsory wearing of masks in the public and asked the police to take stringent action, including the imposition of fines, against the violators.
SIDHU’s DEFENCE
In his defence, Sidhu’s office released a statement, saying, “WHO stresses that it is critical that medical masks and respirators be prioritized for healthcare workers and reminds that a mask should only be used by health workers, care takers, and individuals with respiratory symptoms, such as fever and cough.
Thus, WHO advises rational use of medical masks to avoid unnecessary wastage of precious resources and misuse of masks. There is a world-wide shortage of masks, so WHO urges people to use masks wisely.” “The WHO recommends to only wear a mask if you are ill with Covid-19 symptoms (especially coughing) or looking after someone who may have Covid-19. Disposable face mask can only be used once. If you are not ill or (not) looking after someone who is ill then you are wasting a mask,” the statement, released on Saturday, added.