Mayor deposits fine for Covid norm breach
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, December 25
Municipal Corporation Mayor Karamjit Singh Rintu on Friday set a precedent as he, along with Congress councillors, walked into Civil Lines police station to deposit the stipulated fine for violating Covid norms during hunger strike held to support the farmers’ stir here on Wednesday.
Talking to mediapersons here on Friday, Rintu said, “The law is supreme and everyone, including politicians, officers and elite people, are equal before it. We are law-abiding citizens and represent over 15 lakh people of Amritsar. We wish to set a good precedent and assure people that no one can manipulate the law. So, I would appeal to everyone to follow the Covid norms as we are fighting the pandemic on a war footing and the municipal corporation will not hesitate from taking a stern action against anyone who violates the procedures laid down by the administration.”
“Though everyone sitting on hunger strike in support of the farmers was wearing a mask for most of the times but some of us removed masks for some time in the afternoon because of suffocation. A photo-journalist clicked the image in that brief interval but we believe that there is no excuse for anyone as we are fighting a tough battle to check the spread of the virus. So, everyone must follow the guidelines,” he said.
The Mayor spoke to the journalist on the phone thanking him for bringing the breach of norms to everyone’s notice. Describing the media as the fourth pillar of democracy, the Mayor asserted that the Congress had always respected the freedom of expression. He said the media must standby the oppressed and deprived sections of society and strengthen the voices of those who were fighting for their betterment.
The Mayor said he could well understand the farmers’ agony against the three farm laws as he himself was an agriculturist. “I can understand the pain and agony the farmers are going through after the passage of the farm laws. But the BJP leadership of Amritsar has nothing to do with the farmers. They do not know anything about agriculture but are still pressing the propaganda at the Central leadership’s behest,” said Rintu appealing to the Union Government to call a winter session of Parliament and repeal these draconian laws immediately.
