Hundreds of citizens thronged the streets of Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar district to celebrate the arrival of a group of Jain monks, flouting social distancing norms.
Videos of people defying social distancing measures flooded social media on Wednesday as several raised concerns and lashed out at local authorities for allowing people to gather amid the coronavirus pandemic.
A crowd gathered to welcome Jain monk Pramansagar in Banda, Sagar district yesterday. #IndiaFightsCorona #StayHomeStaySafe pic.twitter.com/QSNyzblMHJ
— Shashi Shankar Singh (@Morewithshashi) May 13, 2020
A group of Jain monks, headed by Muni Pranam Sagar, arrived in Banda which is about 35km from the district headquarters. Jains are the people who follow Jainism. The monks denounce all worldly possessions and live without clothes, going "skyclad", in order to live a totally ascetic life.
Massive crowd gathered in Sagar district on Tuesday in blatant violation of #SocialDistancing protocols, to celebrate the arrival of a Jain monk.
— Indian Muslim (@indianmuslim_) May 13, 2020
Imagine hue & cry, if they were Muslims #TablighiJamaat pic.twitter.com/UKuJQpDGZY
An investigation has been launched into the matter after the videos went viral on social media.
"Directions have been given to investigate and take action against the organisers," Praveen Bhuria, Additional Superintendent of Police (Sagar), said, adding that both social distancing norms and orders banning large gatherings (under Section 144), had apparently been violated.
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