'Tired of sitting at home' during lockdown, Chhattisgarh minister travels 250km

RAIPUR: “Tired of sitting at home”, Chhattisgarh industries and excise minister Kawasi Lakhma travelled to Raigarh, nearly 250 Kms away from the state capital—sparking a controversy over violation lock-down norms with opposition BJP demanding an FIR against him.
The tribal minister’s initial explanation was that he came to meet a Godman, who didn’t meet him.Now, the minister has been quoted as saying that he went to Raigarh on a “surprise visit” after he was informed about sale of illegal liquor and decided to personally and check.
Amid nationwide lock down, Lakhma, along with his convoy, had travelled to Raigarh last week, in an overnight journey of about 250 kilometers and returned on Sunday. In Raigarh, he told reporters on Saturday “ I was tired of sitting at home, so I came here to meet a Godman and I will return." The minister didn't mention about his surprise visit then and clarified it only later after opposition raised an objection that he was on a secret tour to Mahasamund and Raigarh districts.
Amid allegations that Lakhma got a locked hotel open up for accommodation, the minister said that there was no government rest house open so he asked a friend to help who arranged his stay at a lodge. He added that he didn't hold meetings but had met a local MLA and few reporters in Raigarh.
Denying that he had violated any lockdown rules, Lakhma told media that “ I received inputs about sale of illegal liquor on the borders of two districts and he decided to go and check by himself if the norms were being flouted by police”.
Escalating the matter, leader of opposition Dharamlal Kaushik said, it's shocking that at a time when large number of migrant workers have been stay put at different places and nation is observing a complete lockdown, a cabinet minister of Chhattisgarh is getting bored at home and is flouting the norms by travelling to another district. I have no word for him. It's state government’s and minister's prerogative to think about this."
BJP MP from Raigarh Gomti Sai alleged in a statement that the minister wasn't wearing mask on his tour to Raigarh and he wasn't seen maintaining social distancing either. Despite lockdown norms, the minister not only travelled long distance but also met few people here. Sai demanded that an FIR be lodged against Lakhma and his party workers for violating prohibitory orders.
"Chief minister Bhupesh Baghel should immediately drop Lakhma because he has not only violated lockdown norms but also created vulnerability towards spread of coronavirus. He didn't inform anyone about his travel and also forcibly got a hotel open for stay. I will also complain to Prime Minsiter and Union Home Minister”, she said.
This is the second time minister Lakhma sparked a controversy since the lock-down. On April 11, he went to Dhamtari on a visit to distribute ration and called for violation of social distancing as a large crowd gathered at the spot. There was no arrangement to control crowding or maintaining distance. When questioned, Lakhma was quoted as saying that he was a public representative and peoples gathering in his presence is inevitable.
Earlier, he was in news for giving a bizarre advice to school children in Sukma district on how to become a big and successful politician by grabbing the collars of collectors and superintendents of police.
The minister who didn’t had a formal school education, became a butt of social media ridicule as he couldn’t read out the oath after he was inducted into the cabinet.