Cops reject permission for Ram temple gatherings

Nagpur: City police has rejected permission to saffron parties for festive gatherings for Ram temple’s bhoomipuja on Wednesday. BJP and VHP are nevertheless going ahead with their programmes. They are celebrating the bhoomipuja at 26 places in the city with the main event at Badkas Square.
City police chief BK Upadhyay said BJP and others have been told to avoid public places and roads as rules and regulations related to the pandemic are in force. “We feel there is a general enthusiasm among the masses even then we have personally appealed to the concerned parties to avoid public places and avoid breaking rules. Strong bandobast has been planned and forces would be deployed accordingly,” said the top cop.
Joint CP Nilesh Bharne said there is no question of permission to any political outfit for processions or rallies or assembly of more than five at a time at any place as section 144 of criminal procedure code (CrPC) and the Epidemic Diseases Act are in force due to the outbreak of Covid. “Putting up flags and festoons may not attract penal action but if there is any procession or rally or assembly of more than five persons then an offence would be immediately registered against the concerned party or outfit whoever it may be,” he said.
City BJP president Pravin Datke said that it was unfortunate that the police had rejected permission. “We will celebrate the event observing social distancing and follow all norms. If police physically try to prevent us we will protest through democratic methods,” he told TOI.
Shrikant Aglave of VHP, however, said that festivities would go on whether police permits them or not.