No flying kites carrying slogans that can disturb public tranquillity: Gujarat Govt

Instructions for the fesival include celebration with close family members only, with mandatory masks and social distancing

Wary of possible support to the agitating farmers protesting the contentious agriculture laws in Delhi on Uttarayan, 14th January, the Gujarat government on Friday pitched for 'moderate' celebration of the festival, famous as a day of flying kites across the state.

The state has stated 13 conditions for the festival, one of them being a ban on kites displaying "writings/slogans/pictures" that may hurt sentiments resulting into law and order situation.

The Advocate General Kamal Trivedi submitted a note to the division bench of chief justice Vikram Nath and Justice J B Pardiwala which was hearing a batch of petitions on Covid-19 situations in the state. The note stated, "No one is allowed to display any writing/slogans/pictures on kites that can affect the sentiments of society and disturb public tranquillity."

Last year, several activists and students had been detained for flying kites carrying anti Citizenship (amendment) Act, 2019 to mark their protest against the law. The Gujarat government has not been letting the activists and even opposition leaders stage protest in support of agitating farmers. Many of such leaders were detained that included former chief minister Shankarsinh Vaghela who had planned to march to Delhi to participate in the agitation.

One of the petitions was filed by Gujarat Patang Manufacturing and Traders' Association opposing another petition seeking complete ban on kite flying or allowing the festivity with certain strict conditions in view of Covid-19 pandemic. In the last hearing, the court had asked the state government's response.

Submitting the government's stand, Trivedi argued that the government wants people to celebrate the festivity with conditions required to contain the virus. He assured the court no there won't be leniency in following the guidelines as the government had already "burnt its finger" during Diwali when the Covid-19 cases started shooting up rapidly forcing to bring new measures to control it including night curfew.

"No one is allowed to display any writing/slogans/pictures on kites that can affect the sentiments of society and disturb public tranquillity," read one of the 13 instructions submitted to the court. These instructions will be notified by the government to "contain the spread of Covid-19 during the Festival of Uttarayan." The instruction number-one reads that "No gathering and flying of kites at public places/open grounds/roads are allowed."

The other instructions include celebration with close family members only, without mask nobody will be allowed to gather on terrace for kite flying, follow social distancing, arrangement of sanitizers, no person other than the residents of the flats or society allowed on the terraces, large gathering on terraces and use of loudspeakers, DJs and music systems have also been prohibited.

The division bench while accepting the government's stand added that in case of breach of these conditions, society chairman or secretary will be booked.