Unnao MP Sakshi Maharaj put in 14-day quarantine in Giridih

Bokaro: BJP’s Unnao (Uttar Pradesh) MP Sakshi Maharaj was put in 14-day institutional quarantine in Giridih, about 220km from Ranchi, by the police on Saturday morning. A team led by Giridih SDO Prerna Dixit apprehended his vehicle near Pirtand police station while he was on way to Dhanbad to board a Delhi-bound Rajdhani.
The MP arrived in Giridih earlier in the morning and spent two hours with his ailing 97-year-old mother at Shanti Bhawan ashram.He was on his way back when he was stopped by the team, which cited government norms and put him under quarantine at the same ashram.
While Maharaj accused the JMM-Congress-RJD government quarantined him forcefully, Giridih DC Rahul Kumar Sinha said, “Sakshi Maharaj has been quarantined for 14 days as per the guidelines issued by state government on July 17. Those entering Jharkhand by road or train from must remain in quarantine for 14 days. I only acted as per instruction of my superiors.”
Maharaj said, “I had sent a fax to the chief secretary, the DGP and the DC and SP in Giridih on Thursday informing them about my visit. Had they objected to my visit or told me about the quarantine rules, I would not have come here. I told the DC that I have to attend a high-level meeting of a Parliament standing committee in which important bills have to be passed, but he refused to release me. The JMM-led government has acted against me only because I belong to BJP and I will lodge a complaint with the parliamentary Committee”
While, the state government said Maharaj had not inform the authorities about his visit, BJP accused JMM led government of acting unethically. “Forcibly putting Maharaj in quarantine is a politically motivated action taken by the Giridih administration,” P N Singh, BJP MP from Dhanbad, said.
On Friday, an FIR was lodged against RJD chief Lalu Yadav’s elder son and former Bihar health minister Tej Pratap Yadav for violating lockdown rules in Ranchi. Tej Pratap, who was in Ranchi to meet his father on Thursday, has been charged with entering Jharkhand without giving proper information to the authorities and not following quarantine norms.