Gujarat minister fined Rs 200 for not wearing mask at cabinet meet

GANDHINAGAR: In a first, a minister in the Vijay Rupani government was slapped with a fine of Rs 200 on Wednesday for not wearing mask.
Ishwarsinh Thakorbhai Patel, minister of state, co-operation, sports, youth and cultural activities (independent charge), who also holds the MoS portfolio for transport, arrived for the weekly cabinet meeting in Gandhinagar without wearing a mask. All his cabinet colleagues and other officials attended the cabinet meeting with masks.
Meanwhile, Gujarat in 24 hours ending 5 pm on Wednesday recorded 520 cases, taking the total to 25,148. It was the second consecutive day for the state to record 520 or more cases.
CM took a strict view
Gujarat has recorded 500-plus cases for the past five consecutive days. The state also recorded deaths of 27 Covid-19 patients, taking the death toll to 1,561. The cases include 330 from Ahmedabad, 65 from Surat, 44 from Vadodara and 16 from Gandhinagar. In the past 10 days, Ahmedabad has recorded 330 or more daily cases eight times. The state capital crossed 500 cumulative cases on Tuesday. Earlier in the day, even as visuals of Patel, a senior BJP leader from Bharuch, not wearing a mask were flashed by the media, he reportedly received a reprimand from the CM at the cabinet meeting.
Patel later emerged from the cabinet meeting a mask firmly tied on his face. He also apologised for not wearing mask earlier in the day. The minister then drove to a local office of the Gandhinagar municipal corporation and paid the stipulated Rs 200 fine himself.
Following the controversy, Patel said he did not intend to flout any guideline and forgot to wear mask in haste. “As a responsible citizen, I appeal to all people to wear masks. After realising my mistake, I have even paid up a fine of Rs 200. Everyone must wear masks to control the spread of Covid-19 in the state,” he said. The state government has notified that wearing a mask is compulsory in public places and violators will be fined Rs 200. A fine of Rs 200 has also been fixed for those who are found spitting. Following the guidelines, civic bodies across the state have begun issuing e-memos to those who are captured on CCTV without a mask. Besides, teams of civic bodies have been issuing spot fines as well.