Porbandar/Junagadh: Steps to trim the much-awaited Garba — popular folk dance of Gujarat — has left many annoyed. In fact, the entire state swings to the beats of Garba during the nine-day-long Navratri festival which commenced on October 7. As Covid cases steadily declined in Gujarat, the state government permitted organisation of Garba in housing societies and on streets during the Navratri festival with a cap of 400 persons.
But all commercial events of Garba are banned, even a PIL in the high court in this regard has been postponed till Monday for hearing.
However, there has been no cap or restrictions when it comes to political rallies. The ruling BJP is conducting its 'Jan Ashirwad Yatra' at various places with state BJP president C.R. Patil too attending many of them. Patil's rally reached Kirti Mandir, Gandhiji's birthplace in Porbandar, and then at the women's gathering at Chopati Party Plot more nearly 2000 women joined BJP.
Other political parties such as the AAP and Congress also did their respective yatras across the state.
People are incensed over the double standards of the government when it comes to placing corona guidelines.
"This Jan Ashirwad Yatra is to get blessings from our voters. The program is to celebrate our party's victory in recent elections and to offer a big thank you to our party president C.R. Patil ji for the new rule of fresh and young faces representation," said BJP district president Kirit Modhwadia.
"On one hand, the government has banned party plot Garba during Navratri to save people from the third wave of corona and only 400 people have been allowed in urban Garba," said Lakhanshi Gornia — founder president of JCI Group, which organizes party plot Garba every year in Porbandar — told ETV Bharat, adding, "A large number of people gather at BJP's and other political party rallies. So why do government rules not apply to any political party?"
In the neighbouring district too more than 3,000 people have been accommodated in 'Jan Ashirwad Yatra". Recently Congress too had organised Covid-19 Nyay Yatra and Aam Admi Party's 'Jan Abhiwadan Yatra' covering rural and urban areas that violate their own strictures.
There is a lot of resentment among the common man against such the different standards adopted by the government.
"Clearly, covid guidelines are being violated in these yatras, and why no action is taken against them," said a Garba enthusiast of Junagadh to ETV Bharat.
Another Garba enthusiast asked, "What's the police doing? Why rules only for us and not for political leaders? We can understand that in Covid all must follow guidelines for safety, but all means all, there should not be any discrimination. There are scenes where the Corona guidelines and the government's policy of limiting the number are being compromised. If the cases rise then who is responsible."
The commercial Garba organisers have approached the high court to allow commercial events in Navratri. The hearing has been scheduled for October 11.
