Prohibitory orders in Palghar villages ahead of Pankaja Munde's visit

Days after state tribal development minister Vishnu Savara faced the wrath of tribals over the death of two children due to malnutrition, the Palghar district collector on Tuesday issued prohibitory orders under CrPC section 144 in Mokhada. The order comes ahead of women and child welfare minister Pankaja Munde’s scheduled visit on Wednesday.

Ms Munde is scheduled to meet the family members of the two children who recently died due to malnutrition. The prohibitory orders have been issued anticipating protests by local activists. This has caused a major embarrassment to the government, with the opposition claiming that ministers need protection from angry people.

As per the prohibitory order issued on September 19, movement in Koch and Kalamwadi villages of Mokhada taluka would be clamped on September 21 from 7 am to 8 pm.

Justifying the prohibitory order, collector Abhijit Bangar narrated the incident when Mr Savara had gone to meet the family of a child who had died due to malnutrition. “On September 15, Mr Savara had gone to Khoch to meet families that have malnourished children. However, workers from Shamjeevee Sanghatana n Continued from Page 1 opposed the meeting.

There is a possibility that on September 21, the organisation’s president Vivek Pandit with 100-150 activists will oppose Munde’s visit. The activists from Shramjeevee Sanghatana are known for disrupting the government’s work,” the order said.

The collector did not take calls or reply to message when contacted to get a comment on the issue. Shramjeevee Sanghatana president Vivek Pandit, however, warned to defy the order. “It is against the democracy. The government is worse than the British. How can they stop people from moving We will condemn the government’s act tomorrow even if we are arrested,” he said. The Congress too slammed the government over the prohibitory order. “Ms Munde is going to meet the people there. How can the government not allow people to gather ” asked Congress state president Ashok Chavan. Last week, Savara had faced the anger of a tribal woman whose two-year-old son had died due to malnutrition in Palghar district. The video of the incident went viral on social media after the minister reportedly said, “let them be” when informed about 600 deaths due to malnutrition.