MP: Cong MLA leads protest in Satna demanding food packets

A case has been registered against the Congress MLA from Satna, Siddharth Kushwaha, for leading a protest march seeking food packets for the poor amid lockdown for coronavirus, police said on Wednesday.

Kushwaha organised a protest march near Nai Basti area of the town on Tuesday in violation of section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure under which the assembly of five or more people has been banned, said inspector Mohit Saxena.

"Some 150 to 200 persons led by Kushwaha took to the streets demanding food packets from the civic body. Eventually food packets were distributed in the area," another police officer said.

Inspector Saxena said a case was registered against eight persons including Kushwaha under IPC sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (unlawful act likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life) and 279 (malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life).

Relevant sections of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, were also invoked, he added.

Nobody has been arrested yet. Kushwaha could not be contacted for despite repeated calls.

Rajesh Dwivedi, a city-based senior journalist, said strict curbs on movement of people in Satna should be lifted as no coronavirus case has been found in the district.

Three hundred and thirteen persons have tested positive for coronavirus infection in Madhya Pradesh so far. Twenty-three of them died while 21 persons recovered.