Kochi: While Kerala is under corona virus infection, the Left alliance is gathering crowds through a grand ceremony to prepare for the swearing-in of its government. A retired scientist has filed a petition in the apex court seeking a halt to the swearing-in ceremony. The petition filed in the Supreme Court sought a ban on all political or religious ceremonies and demonstrations citing corona guidelines.

In a petition filed through advocate Usha Nandini, retired scientist KM Shah Jahan said that all gathering ceremonies involving more than 50 people for at least 1 month should be stopped. 500 people are said to attend the swearing-in ceremony to be held at the Central Stadium in the capital Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday (May 20, 2021) at 3:30 pm. An 80,000 square feet pandal is being constructed for this purpose. Describing 500 as a small number, CM Vijayan said that the judiciary and the media are also pillars of democracy and they too have to be present.

The petition says, "Crowd gathering at such a function cannot be allowed during this period of Corona. The invitees are posing a threat to themselves. Thousands of workers are being hired for the construction of the pandal. A lot of money is being spent from the government exchequer of Kerala for this 'Super Spreader' public programme. This is being done to show your strength and celebrate victory". Kerala ranks third in the country with 3,47,627 corona patients. The total number of infected persons has also crossed 22 lakh, the highest after Maharashtra and Karnataka.

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