Ambikapur: The BJP on Tuesday claimed that Chhattisgarh minister Amarjeet Bhagat had violated social distancing norms by organising programmes on his birthday, an allegation which the minister denied.
Bhagat refuted the BJP's claims that he had organised some functions for his birthday on Monday in Ambikapur town of Surguja district and said that one of the events was actually held to felicitate frontline COVID-19 warriors.
"At a time when people are being asked to maintain physical distancing and not step out unnecessarily to contain Coronavirus spread, Bhagat organised functions in Ambikapur town on his birthday where huge crowds had gathered," the BJP's state unit secretary Anurag Singh Deo alleged.
"Videos of the functions held at two places clearly show that the social distancing protocol were not followed and people had not worn masks at these events," he claimed, demanding that an offence be registered against the minister and programme organisers.
In one of the purported videos of a function, the minister is seen surrounded by his supporters and distributing shawls, while people are seen flouting social distancing rules.
Meanwhile, the minister refuted these allegations and said, "I attended several programmes on Monday and coincidentally, it was also my birthday. However, none of these functions were organised for my birthday."
Bhagat claimed that he had attended functions at all development blocks of Surguja district and at Ambikapur, he attended an event organised to felicitate COVID-19 warriors.
"We distributed masks at all places. We cannot deny anyone if they come to collect masks. We also gave away raincoats to 400 sanitation workers," he said.
Volunteers who had distributed food to the needy during the lockdown were also felicitated with shawls and certificates, he claimed.
(PTI REPORT)
ALSO READ: MHRD Ministry launches Yukti 2.0 platform to promote innovation
