Patna: The distinction between virtual and real has begun blurring as campaigning progresses for the Bihar assembly elections, with political parties throwing to the wind all Covid-19 guidelines announced by the Election Commission of India (EC).
When Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi addressed an election rally at Ramgarh in Kaimur district Tuesday, an estimated 20,000 people were there to listen to him.
The participants clustered together, ignoring social distancing, and most did not wear a mask. The EC’s guidelines for holding a physical rally mandate social distancing of at least two metres between the participants and all of them should be wearing masks.
Speaking to ThePrint, Modi admitted this was turning out to be like any other election. “I told my workers that they should have got a bigger field for the public meeting. But how can I ask anyone not to come?”
Union minister Nityanand Rai Monday addressed a large crowd at Mahua in Vaishali district where a majority of those in the crowd did not wear a mask.
The lack of adherence to the guidelines isn’t confined to the BJP campaign alone.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar addressed public meetings at four places Wednesday and a number of his supporters at all these places were seen without masks, and many were not following social distancing.
Also read: LJP not our ‘B’ team, BJP has nothing to gain from JD(U) losing, Bihar dy CM Sushil Modi says
Norms flouted during nomination filing, campaigning
And it isn’t just the rallies.
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and Lalu Prasad Yadav’s son Tej Pratap Yadav was accompanied by his brother Tejashwi Yadav and other senior party leaders when he went to file his nomination at Rosera in Samastipur district Tuesday.
Though he entered the returning officer’s office with just two persons, as mandated by EC guidelines, there was a huge crowd of supporters outside. Tej Pratap waved at them when he got into his vehicle. Again, there were no masks or social distancing.
Tejashwi Yadav himself drew a huge crowd of supporters when he filed nomination papers at the Raghopur assembly seat Wednesday.
“It’s impossible to ask followers not to come,” senior RJD leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui told ThePrint.
Candidates have virtually thrown in the towel when it comes to adhering to the Covid-19 guidelines issued by the EC. “When I go door-to-door campaigning in villages, there are over 100 people moving with me. I cannot ask my voters not to come along,” said Gyanendra Singh Gyanu, the BJP candidate for Barh assembly seat.
According to EC guidelines, a candidate is to be accompanied by just four others during door-to-door campaigning. “Why should I bother to enforce the Covid guidelines? Let the administration do it,” said RJD’s Maner candidate Birendar Yadav.
The chief electoral officer’s office in Bihar said it will take time to explain the Covid-19 guidelines to the parties. Additional CEO Sanjay Singh told ThePrint that a few cases have been registered in relation to violation of Covid-19 guidelines, but did not specify the details.
“We have notified the fields where rallies can be held and specified the number of participants according to its size,” he added.
The election has come amid rising Covid-19 cases in the state. As of Tuesday, Bihar recorded a total of 1,98,223 cases and 961 deaths. The active cases stand at 10,638.
Have prepared a Covid plan: district magistrates
Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Aurora had said the district administration would be accountable for enforcing the Covid guidelines.
Bihar administrators say they are committed to following the rules. “We have prepared a Covid plan for the assembly elections that covers social distancing, wearing of marks and sanitisation at all levels right down to the block level,” said Vaishali District Magistrate Udita Singh. “We will enforce it and take action against those violating it. I believe all district administrations have been asked to enforce the EC guidelines to prevent the spread of Covid infection.”
Patna Divisional Commissioner Sanjay Agarwal told ThePrint that he had held a meeting with all DMs and SPs and directed them to follow the Covid protocol strictly.
“In the meeting held by the CM at Mokama on Wednesday, social distancing and wearing of masks were ensured,” he said.
The Bihar poll panel Thursday shared a video of the election theme song that also seeks to raise awareness about Covid rules.
Election Theme Song – वोटवा दें के आयेंगे
मास्क पहनकर बूथ चलेंगे, वोट करेंगे।#ElectionDepartmentBihar#Elections_2020 #CeoBihar @TripathiiPankaj @ECISVEEP pic.twitter.com/b5M8AEGRNb
— CEO Bihar #ElectionDepartmentBihar (@CEOBihar) October 15, 2020
Virtual becoming real
Even before the elections were formally announced, NDA partners were big supporters of virtual rallies citing the Covid-19 pandemic.
Home Minister Amit Shah kicked off the first mega virtual rally on 7 June before the JD(U) followed the concept.
During an all-party meeting with the EC, however, the opposition parties batted for real rallies while NDA partners spoke in favour of virtual rallies and door-to-door campaigning.
The EC allowed ground rallies but with stringent restrictions. All major players have begun holding them.
Sushil Modi started holding campaign rallies from Monday while CM Nitish Kumar began Wednesday. About a dozen joint rallies of PM Narendra Modi and CM Nitish Kumar are scheduled to be held in the coming days and are expected to be attended by large crowds.
RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav is expected to hit the road soon. The Congress has Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Dr Manmohan Singh and Shatrughan Sinha in its star campaigners’ list and all of them are expected to draw large crowds at their meetings.
Also read: Not just Tejashwi Yadav & Chirag Paswan, Bihar polls make-or-break for other dynasts too