TENKASI / TIRUNELVELI: In this war against an invisible enemy, every bit of help counts, but that help should not turn out to be a double-edged sword. However, several social activists and officials here claim that is exactly what political parties are doing with their events and distribution of lockdown-relief packages, which seldom adhere to social distancing norms.
"All mainstream political parties in Tirunelveli and Tenkasi districts are organising such events, during which they offer money, rice, grocery, hand sanitiser, and soaps to residents. They neither follow any social distancing norm nor wear a mask. The only thing they do not forget is circulating photos of them offering relief package to the poor," said Bramma, a Tirunelveli-based social activist.
An official from the Tenkasi collectorate said, "We really appreciate the intention of political parties to help people. However, the gathering of people on the streets is not advisable. In this situation, they should help to strengthen the government machinery through other means."
What political parties say
Saying that his party helped hundreds of migrant workers stranded in the district owing to the lockdown and members from the Narikuravar community, an AIADMK officer bearer from Tirunelveli district said political parties knew more about the needs of the common people than did the officials. He added that they shared the workload of the district administration.
When contacted by TNIE, DMK west district secretary Siva Padmanathan said they appealed to residents to follow social-distancing norms whenever they offered any relief package. "The district administration wants to collect the relief material from us and distribute them among the public. If it happens, people will think the package is being given by the State government not the DMK," he added.
Social activist Bramma said that the same group of politicians participated in multiple events organised across the district a day by their respective parties. "Chances of these politicians becoming virus carriers are high," he said. On the spree of partymen spraying disinfectant, he said that there should not be a compromise on the quality of the disinfectants. "It is the duty of the corporation to spray disinfectants made of recommended levels of chemicals," he said.
Official response
In a press note, Tirunelveli Collector Shilpa Prabhakar Satish said that handing over relief package by meeting people directly was a violation of the prohibitory order imposed under CrPC Section 144. "Politicians who want to offer relief materials like vegetables should give them to the people via relief camp offices established by the district administration. They can call toll-free number 1077 and register their names and the details of materials. The relief materials thus received would be handed over to the public by select officials and volunteers," the collector said.