Those found taking photos or videos during charity and posting on social media have to face action under section 188 of IPC
Going a step ahead, Mira Bhayandar Municipal Commissioner Chandrakant Dange has issued an order, using the special powers conferred to him, warning of registering offences against anyone including politicians found posting pictures of their charity work on social media during the lockdown.
Mr Dange on late Saturday night issued a circular asking all those who are ‘helping needy’ to refrain from clicking photographs and posting them on social media.
According to him, such an act may hurt the self-respect of needy people. The order has asked not to click photographs while handing over food packets or ration kits to the needy.
Posing for a photo while donating something to someone, only highlights the receiver’s helplessness. And that’s not what we should be highlighting. “Clicking photos during charity work and circulating them through social media humiliate needy and poor people. Such acts also jeopardise the social distancing norms put in place to control the pandemic,” said the Commissioner.
He said, “It is just by chance that we can help and not the one needing help. Those in need could have been any one of us, and this thought made me issue the order.”
To ensure that even the self-proclaimed social workers or those doing it for the sake of publicity are kept under check.
Those found violating this order will face action under section 188 of the IPC among other legal provisions.
Applaud for Commissioner
Social activist Anwar Naqvi lauded the initiatives. “The administration has been very thoughtful. Some people tend to gain publicity or political mileage while posing as donors during the time of crisis. But they hurt the poor and needy beneficiaries by revealing their photos,” said Naqvi. Mr Naqvi is a co-ordinator Mira-Bhayandar of Anfaal Foundation. Anfaal Foundation is distributing rationing kits in Mumbai Metropolitan Region and distributed about 3000 kits in the first phase of the lockdown.
Why order issued
This order came after corporators fought over the posting in one of the WhatsApp group in which the commissioner is also a member. The same types of the order were issued by the Jalna and the Latur Collectors. As soon the order copy was shared in this group, one of the Shiv Sena corporator objected on the video shared by BJP corporator of the former BJP MLA’s charity work done at an orphanage. The issue started ‘Mahabharat’ in the group between the BJP and the corporators of Maha Vikas Aghadi.
