Hazaribag/Ranchi: Ignoring Jharkhand government’s directives, Congress party’s Barkagaon MLA Amba
Prasad organised and attended a public gathering on
Holi at her native Pahar village of Hazaribag district on Monday.
A short video clip of the event, which has been circulating on social media, showed Prasad emerging from a gathering of a hundred people amid loud music, mounting an elevated platform and cracking open an earthen pot loaded with colours amid loud cheers from the audience. Matka ceremonies are common in Jharkhand during Holi.
When contacted, Prasad defended the event and justified her participation. “I simply observed the tradition which was set by my father during Holi in my village. The event lasted for not more than 10 minutes and I took part in it to fulfil the desire of the people of my constituency. There is no wrong in it,” she said.
On March 26, the state disaster management authority had issued a directive prohibiting celebrations and congregations at public places during Holi, Easter, Ramnavami, Sarhul and Shab-e-Baraat to prevent a possible spread of Covid-19 infection among participants at a time when the number of fresh cases is once again on the rise in the state.
Defiant, Prasad also said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah are defying the norms by hosting rallies and road shows in West Bengal and Assam. Why should FIRs not be lodged against them?”
The Hazaribag district administration and the district disaster management authority remained silent on this issue. Left red faced, the Congress party, which is in power along with JMM and RJD, gave a guarded response in Ranchi.
“Since a MLA has been involved in the gathering at a time when the Jharkhand government has prohibited festive gatherings to limit infections and save lives, it is for the party’s state president (Rameshwar Oraon) and Congress legislative party leader (Alamgir Alam) to take action, if any. Plus, it is also the prerogative of the Hazaribag administration to probe if there has been a violation of orders,” Congress president Lal Kishore Nath Shahdeo told TOI. Oraon and Alam did not respond when contacted.
The BJP, however, mounted an attack. “The government seems to be following two sets of rules. One is for the common people and the other for the MLAs of the ruling parties. Though this incident took place in the morning, no FIR was lodged by the administration,” BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo said.
While Prasad violated the orders, the lawmakers of the state largely remained indoors and played Holi with their family members. Ranchi MLA C P Singh, who is known for throwing grand Holi Milan ceremonies at his government bungalow in Kutchery Road, remained indoors. Congress and BJP party offices, which usually come alive with riot of colours during Holi, also wore a deserted look this year. State ministers Badal Patralekh, Oraon and Banna Gupta also remained indoors during the festival.