Hindustan Times ST (Jaipur)

Sena questions quarantine rules regarding PM Modi

- Agencies letters@hindustant­imes.com

ON AUGUST 5, NRITYA GOPAL DAS, WHO TESTED COVID+ AND WAS THE PART OF THE RAM MANDIR BHOOMI PUJAN IN UP; SHARED THE STAGE WITH PM NARENDRA MODI

MUMBAI : After Ram Janmabhoom­i trust head Nritya Gopal Das tested positive for novel coronaviru­s infection, Shiv Sena’s mouthpiece Saamna on Sunday questioned if Prime Minister Narendra Modi will follow quarantine regulation­s as he shared the stage with him during the groundbrea­king ceremony of Ram Temple in Ayodhya on August 5.

“The 75-year-old Mahant Nritya was present on stage on August 5 at the Bhoomipuja­n ceremony of the Ram Temple.

He had not covered his face with the mask. Prime Minister Nare ndra Modi a nd RSS c hi e f Mohan Bhagwat came in contact with the Mahant. PM Modi held the hand of Nritya Gopal

Das with reverence. So will our PM will also be quarantine­d,” the editorial in the Saamna questioned?

“At present, Amit Shah is also in solitude after contractin­g the infection. Even former president Pranab Mukherjee has been tested positive for the virus and his health is also in a worrisome state. At present, all cabinet members, bureaucrat­s, parliament members are vulnerable to falling prey to the lethal infection. Even during riots and war, Delhi was not so frightened as it is today. The city seems to be a bit more scared now. Although the fear of PM

Modi and Shah was already mongering, but the trepidatio­n fear of coronaviru­s is more appalling.”

On August 5, Nritya Gopal Das was the part of the Ram Mandir bhoomi pujan in Ayodhya and shared the stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and a few others.

This landmark event was attended by 175 guests who were invited by the trust headed by Nritya Gopal Das.

Apart from heavy security arrangemen­ts, COVID-19 protoc ol s and s oci al di s t ancing norms were abided by the people present at the gala event.

Due to the coronaviru­s outbreak, no chief ministers except Yogi Adityanath was invited for the groundbrea­king ceremony.

Notably, Shiv Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik had sought invitation for Maharashtr­a CM Uddhav Thackeray stating that the late Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackery was at the forefront in insisting and wanted the Ram temple built.

Sarnaik had also stated that Uddhav had repeatedly taken a lead in the demand for the Ram Mandir and hence should be invited for the ‘bhoomi pujan.

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