COVID-19: Guj BJP chief cancels welcome car rally in Surat

The car rally was to be held after Paatil arrived here from Delhi in the afternoon and the decision to cancel it was taken by the new state unit chief himself, party functionaries said. They said some 2,000 cars were take part in the 30 kilometre rally, organised by local BJP leaders, which was to start from Valak Patiya near the airport and culminate at Paatil's office near Udhna area.

A car rally to welcome newly- appointed Gujarat BJP chief CR Paatil was cancelled on Friday in Surat due to the coronavirus outbreak. The car rally was to be held after Paatil arrived here from Delhi in the afternoon and the decision to cancel it was taken by the new state unit chief himself, party functionaries said.

They said some 2,000 cars were take part in the 30 kilometre rally, organised by local BJP leaders, which was to start from Valak Patiya near the airport and culminate at Paatil's office near Udhna area. "It is natural that people are enthusiastic because I am arriving here for the first time after being appointed as the state unit president. I was assured by local leaders that social distancing will be maintained during the car rally organised to welcome me," Paatil told reporters on arrival at the airport.

"I learnt long queues were forming along the route as the rally would have 2,000 cars and party workers. I do not want to take any chance in the prevailing COVID-19 situation so I asked the organisers to cancel the rally. This is not the right time for such rallies," he said. Paatil said he had ordered the cancellation of a similar car rally scheduled for Saturday in Navsari.

On Thursday, Surat reported 256 coronavirus cases, the highest in the state, taking the COVID-19 count here to 11,384. It is the second highest after Ahmedabad with 25,173 cases.

Paatil is the Lok Sabha MP from Navsari, and several areas in Surat are part of his constituency..