Bengaluru: Bhaskar Rao, Bengaluru’s Police Commissioner, took to poetry to try and convince people to stay indoors after a week-long lockdown between 14 and 22 July was announced by the state government Saturday.
The police commissioner tweeted a poem by Urdu poet Gulzar Sunday — “Bewajah ghar se nikalne ki zarurat kya hai, maut se aankhen milane ki zarurat kya hai (What is the point of going out of your home without reason, what is the need to meet the eyes of death?) — with the caption “Nothing to add”.
Nothing to add..!!!? pic.twitter.com/FBV6q1vXiq
— Bhaskar Rao IPS (@deepolice12) July 12, 2020
Rao, who is fluent in Urdu, told ThePrint that he was an admirer of the renowned poet and could not find a more appropriate way of communicating to the people what they should be doing during the lockdown.
“I have been reading Urdu poetry for the last 40 years. I felt this is a good way to let people know how important it is to stay indoors. Bewajah ghar se nikalne ki zarurat kya hai, maut se aankhen milane ki zarurat kya hai. If people don’t understand this, then I don’t know what else (they) will,” said Rao.
The commissioner has been trying to rally people around the importance of the lockdown and Covid-19 protocols. He has been reaching out to people on Twitter, personally holding meetings across the city and has now tried a more poetic approach.
Also read: In search of home in a pandemic — Gulzar’s new poem likens migrant crisis to Partition
Bengaluru Covid fines cross Rs 1 crore
According to the data shared by the Bengaluru Police, the department collected fines worth more than Rs 1 crore for violations of Covid-19 protocols in the month of June alone.
A total of 50,706 cases were registered — 46,959 persons were found not wearing masks in public spaces and another 3,747 cases were booked for lack of social distancing.
As a result, the department collected Rs 1,01,37,558 in fines, a statement issued on 10 July by Hemanth Nimbalkar, Additional Commissioner of Police (Admin), noted.
“This lockdown will be stricter than the previous one. The penalty also will be higher. People should understand the rationale behind it. It is to ensure safety during these trying to times. We will soon be issuing guidelines,” Rao told ThePrint.
Also read: ‘Dhoop aane do’, don’t lose hope & feed the strays: Gulzar’s lockdown message in poetry, prose