Norway Prime Minister,Erna Solberg, has been fined with 20,000 kroner ($2,352) for violating the ruleof social distancing and organising a family gathering on the occasion of her60th birthday.
The police startedinvestigation after the report published by a public broadcaster.
The two-term leaderhas apologized several times for organising a party with 13 guests, despite thegovernment ban on the gathering of more than 10 people. She also claimed thatshe is ready to pay the fine. She told the media agency, “I would like to sayit again, I am sorry for violating the coronavirus rules and I will accept thefine and will pay it.”
Police officialswhile justifying the fine said that police must have not issued a fine in mostof such cases but the Prime Minister had been at the forefront for thegovernment’s work to impose any restrictions.
The police chief, Ole Saeverudsaid, “The law is same for everyone, but all are not equal in front of law. Itis therefore important to issue a fine to uphold the public’s trust ingovernment’s rules and regulations.” He further said, “Solberg is country’sleader and has been in forefront of the restrictions imposed by the governmentto limit the spread of coronavirus.”
Solberg wassuccessful in controlling the spread of novel coronavirus, resulting in the lowrates of infections and deaths. But in the first quarter of 2021, Norway haswitnessed rapid increase in the cases of the virus, forcing the government fortightening the restrictions from the late March.
Meanwhile, if compareit to India’s situation where over 2 lakh covid cases are being reported thesedays, the fine for inviting just three guests extra seems like a joke. However,the internet is all praise for the Norway Police as it issued fine thinking thePM is the law maker and it doesn’t give out a good message if people find outthe PM is spared from following rules.
Besides, in India thelaw makers, the people’s representatives are violating the norms by holdingpublic rallies, conferences and visiting religious places. Thousands of people includingministers have recently tested positive after they visited MahaKumbh, and thecases in the poll-bound states have also started increasing.
So what’s now? Are weactually in a position to question our government whether who is responsiblefor the poor covid situation in the country or the rules are simply meant forcommon people.
A section of societyin India doubts the existence of covid19 while questioning the presence ofpolitical leaders in rallies, and who is to be blamed for that?