UK High Court asks Election Commission if virtual public meetings can take place to avoid public rallies during surge in Covid cases. Satpal Maharaj infected with Covid after Kejrival
In view of the rapidly surging Covid 19 cases in Uttarakhand, and the election date likely to be announced shortly even the High Court of Uttarakhand has intervened and asked the Election Commission to advise or suggest whether the public meetings in the state can be held virtually to avoid political congregations and apprehension of the pandemic spreading further more rapidly posing risk to people’s health and lives.
Ganesh Godiyal, President Uttarakhand Congress
The next hearing in a case regarding applying brakes in political public meetings and get together etc in view of surging Covid is to take place in Uttarakhand high court in 12 th January.
After more than five hundred Covid 19 cases detected during the last 12 to 14 hours in Uttarakhand and the cabinet minister Satpal Maharaj being detected suffering from Covid for the second time, two days after Delhi CM Arvind, Kejriwal infected with Covid after addressing a rally in parade ground at Dehradun, there is commition in the political and administrative circles of Uttarakhand with Uttarakhand Congress chief Ganesh Godiyal already announcing the cancellation of Priyanka Gandhi’s public meeting/ rallies slated for 9 th January in Srinagar, Garhwal and Almora, Kumaon, postponing all their political meetings big or small for another fifteen days, urging other parties too to follow suit.
According to the Uttarakhand Congress chief Ganesh Godiyal the Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi has cancelled her Garhwal and Almora tour for another 15 days as she do not want to see people getting infected with dreaded pandemic in public meetings, urging other party leaders too giving up their public meetings n rallies for people’s safety.
However, it remains to be seen whether the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party and Aam Admi Party also follow the request of Uttarakhand Congress who has postponed its entire political programmes, meetings n rallies for another fifteen days.
The BJPs Jan Vishwas Yatra is, still going on in various parts of the state with union minister Nitin Gadkari having addressed a rally n road show in Khatima yesterday making lot of announcements, particularly national highway via Khatima to Mansarovar to be completed in a year’s time. Today Rajnath Singh, union defence minister is, addressing a congregation at Uttarkashi, despite Covid 19 cases surging ahead.
Meanwhile, in view of the increasing cases of Covid, the Uttarakhand government has imposed night curfew from ten night to 8 in the morning and all the primary schools in Uttarakhand will be opened for three hours
So far, the Prime minister Narendra Modi had addressed two massive public meetings at Dehradun and Haldwani and, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal tok has, addressed massive public meetings at Parade ground Dehradun.
Meanwhile, after the surge in Covid 19 cases in Uttarakhand n elsewhere there are also rumours or speculations that leaders of various parties etc of states likely to go to polls are asking for postponing the elections though the news is not confirmed. However, the Election Commission might be concerned about these elections as dates are likely to be declared shortly. However, it remains to be seen whether, the CEC gives a serious though on postponing these elections or will take place on scheduled dates.
After, surge in Covid cases with Omicron variant too raising uts head deeply especially after nearly 90 thousand Covid 19 cases recorded at the pan India level, the electorates and the government machinery definitely seems to be concerned. The moot point is that if the elections are held in time as per schedule, in five states, the election campaigning with massive rallies n public meetings including road shows with witness people in thousands and lakhs further resulting in Covid and Omicron cases surging multiply, leading to large number of people succumbing to pandemic reminiscences of the second pandemic wave claiming unaccounted lives at the pan India level.
Kindly recall that in the month of April last year during rapid second pandemic wave in Haridwar Kumbh where more than five lakh pilgrims have congregated about 1.5 lakh people were infected with Covid with lot of casualties and fake testing scam taking place as well.
Sir,
Although Uttarakhand High Court, in wake of surge in covid cases, has asked for suggestions from EC as to whether virtual rallies could be safe option ; yet there is a gut feeling that no political party worth its leadership would agree to this proposal. They are accustomed to applause from, on many instances, hired crowds. Instead they would readily agree for postponement of elections.