SURAT: When the entire state is in the clutches of the second wave of
Covid-19 pandemic and people of four cities are locked under the strict night curfew owing to the Covid-19 surge across the state, thousands of people turned to an event organised by former minister
Kanti Gamit on occasion of his granddaughter's engagement ceremony at his native village near Songadh town of
Tapi district.
In fact, the state government has put strict restrictions on wedding events wherein only 100 guests are allowed to attend. Government's enforcing agencies are imposing penalties on wedding event organisers for not wearing masks and not following social distancing norms. But all such guidelines were given a toss at the event organised by the BJP leader.
The video of the event in which hundreds of people were seen dancing one the music has gone viral on social media and faced backlash. However, the former minister regretted the event and apologised for the mass gathering. According to one eye witness, over 5,000 people attended the dance event.
According to sources, the event was organised by family members of BJP leader Kanti Gamit, a former MLA from Nizar assembly constituency from Tapi district, on occasion of his granddaughter's engagement ceremony on Monday. Kanti Gamit is also a director at
Sumul Dairy of Surat District Co-operative Milk Producers’ Union Ltd. Sumul Dairy is one among the 17 district unions which acts as manufacturing units of dairy products for Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Limited, that markets Amul brand of products.
"Every year, we organise a ceremony on occasion of
Tulsi Vivah in our village. So, on Monday, we had organised Tulsi Vivah alongside an engagement ceremony for my granddaughter. We did not send any invitation to people but we had put up a message on whatsapp and people turned up. Since it was also an engagement ceremony for our granddaughter, we had organised dinner for around 2,000 guests. We did not expect that so many people would turn up. The dinner was followed by a dance programme in which so many people turned up and danced. I apologise for the mass gathering," Kanti Gamit told media persons in Songadh town on Tuesday.
Sources say that following the viral video of the event, Tapi district police called Gamit for questioning. When asked if they had provided face masks or provided sanitisers for those who had come to attend the event, BJP replied that they had not provided masks or sanitisers to guests.
According to Tapi district health officials, four new Covid-19 cases were reported on Monday. Out of the four new cases, two were reported from Songadh and two from Vyara taluka of the district. Total 22 Covid-19 patients are under treatment in the district as on Monday.