A police case was filed against Chattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and several others for violating COVID-19 norms while campaigning for the Congress party for the upcoming Assembly Polls in Noida on Sunday, 16 January, the Gautam Budh Nagar Police said.
The Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections will begin on 10 February and go on 7 March, with the results being declared on 10 March.
The District Election Officer complained to the Assistant DCP (Noida Police), who cited the Election Commission (EC) order that prevented five or more people from congregating at a venue for campaigning purposes.
Parties that were doing door-to-door campaigning, the EC had ruled, must not contain more than five members in the team.
A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered in Noida's Sector 113. The charges are that the Chhattisgarh CM violated Section 144 and certain sections of the Epidemic Act.
Visuals shared by news agency ANI showed Baghel wearing a white face mask as he strode along Noida's streets. Baghel was surrounded by over a dozen people.
"Others are either politicizing in the name of caste or playing 'religion politics', but no one is talking about common people, except Congress. From youth, farmers, women to backward communities, we are taking everyone along", Baghel said while addressing the media in Noida.
(With inputs from NDTV.)
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