Gaurav Singh Rajput had left Congress to join the BJP.
Bhopal:
BJP chief Govind Singh Rajput – a cabinet minister in Madhya Pradesh – courted controversy after being photographed violating social distancing standards amid a spike in corovirus cases in the state.
In visuals shared on social networks, the leader of the BJP, 48, was seen addressing a large number of followers in a hall in the city of Rahatgarh, about 130 km from the capital of L ‘State, Bhopal. Most of the men seated in the audience were not wearing masks.
A clip shows the BJP leader – surrounded by a huge crowd – shouting slogans at the camera, violating standards of social distancing despite repeated calls from Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the country fights the pandemic.
क्या नेताजी कोरोना मुक्त हैं, हद है @INCMP से @ BJP4MP मंत्री गोविंद सिंह राजपूत ने मास्क लटका रखा है, हजारों कार्यकर्ता इकठ्ठा हैं ऐसे भागेगा # कोरोना ? @drharshvardhan@Narendra Modi@ChouhanShivraj@ndtvindia# COVID19India#CoronavirusIndiapic.twitter.com/Rk7oDbZRUW
– Anurag Dwary (@Anurag_Dwary) June 14, 2020
The minister, a supporter of Jyotiraditya Scindia, also came to the BJP in March after Mr. Scindia ended his decades-long association with Congress.
The departure of Mr. Scindia led to the fall of the government of Kamal Nath, several members of Congress, including Govind Singh Rajput, having resigned from the National Assembly and changed sides.
On Saturday, Mr. Rajput went to meet his supporters in the Surkhi constituency where by-elections were to be held after his resignation. He is the most likely BJP candidate in the riding.
He is not the only BJP leader accused of violating standards of social distancing. A case was registered against the BJP vice president of Madhya Pradesh and former deputy Sudarshan Gupta after participating in an event to distribute rations on the anniversary of Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Saturday. Indore, a coronavirus hotspot.
मध्यप्रदेश में कोरोना संक्रमितों की तादाद 10443 तक पहुंच गई है, जिसमें सबसे ज्यादा 3972 संक्रमित इंदौर में हैं, सबसे ज्यादा 164 मरीज़ों की मौत भी इंदौर में ही हुई है, फिर भी ऐसी तस्वीरें! @ anandrai177@ [email protected]/VMgShQnfdJ
– Anurag Dwary (@Anurag_Dwary) June 12, 2020
Huge crowds participated in the event where chaos unfolded as huge crowds gathered.
During the celebrations, packets of rations were distributed to the crowd without meeting the standards of social distancing. A case was filed against Mr. Gupta and his collaborators for violation of the prohibition orders.
Coronavirus cases in Madhya Pradesh have passed the 10,000 mark and 447 patients have died so far. Across India, more than three lakh have been affected by the pandemic.
