Odisha Political Leaders Take Lead In Violating COVID-19 Norms At Public Functions

Cuttack: Open defiance of COVID-19 guidelines by political leaders including those from ruling BJD at public functions has raised concern among the people as well as the health experts in Odisha.

Considering the spike in COVID-19 positive cases in the last few days, the Odisha government, municipal bodies and the Commissionerate Police have been cautioning the people almost on daily basis against violation of the norms to keep the spread of the disease under check. But the political leaders were found wanting in following the norms in two recent public functions.

On Thursday, the leaders belonging to most of the mainstream parties congregated at the Bellevue Square here for the chief minister to unveil the high relief mural sculpture of Mahatma Gandhi’s visit to Odisha. Around 150 leaders were found not maintaining social distancing. Besides, most of them were wearing face masks below their chin or nose, according to a TNIE report.

In another incident in the city on March 23, when a massive rally was brought out to mark the centenary of Gandhi’s first visit to Odisha, hundreds of people participated without wearing face masks.

Taking strong exception to such behaviour of the politicians, health experts said it will send a wrong signal to the people and also trigger a sudden outbreak of the pandemic.