In Surat, which is the latest epicentre of COVID-19 cases in Gujarat, the controversy over a late night spat between a lady constable and a deputy minister's son refuses to die down with support pouring in from various quarters for the law enforcer.
Prakash Kanani, son of deputy health minister Kumar Kanani, and his friends were arrested on Sunday for violating prohibitory orders and later released on bail.
The incident occurred on Wednesday, video and audio clips of which went viral later on, when Sunita Yadav, a constable with the Gujarat police force, stopped Prakash and his friends past 10 pm. The constable and the minister's son and his friends had heated arguments. To restrict the movement of people in COVID-19 times, Gujarat has enforced curfew from 10 pm till the wee hours of the next day.
While Sunita has gone on sick leave, pending inquiry, support for her is pouring in on social media with many hashtags like #i_support_sunita_yadav, #isupportsunitayadav and #Sunita.Yadav trending.
If every Cop in India would discharge duty like #SunitaYadav it would be a better place !! #i_support_sunita_yadav https://t.co/NrT9OC5zDY
— Aarti 💓 (@aartic02) July 12, 2020
She is reported to have resigned but the resignation has not been accepted. Sources said that a resignation cannot be accepted just like that and there is a procedure to be followed.
On Sunday night, she took to Twitter and said, “Law is law and must be followed by everyone!!!!!”
Among the ones who have come out in her support include former IPS officer D.G. Vanzara and actor Swara Bhasker.
This woman has been forced to resign for doing her job???!?????? Come on @GujaratPolice !!!!!!!!! @IPS_Association pls defend this brave and upright constable. She does the khaake she wears proud! #SunitaYadav https://t.co/tlIrqCAJJ8
— Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) July 12, 2020
Vanzara tweeted, “During my Service, I saw Sps whose Caliber was worst than that of Constables, while, I also saw Constables who would have become better Sps given the Opportunity. #I_support_sunita_yadav & appreciate Her Courage & Commitment, Violators of Law must be booked whosoever they may be (sic).”
Actor Swara Bhasker wrote, “She deserved a promotion for doing her job. Instead she had to resign due to frustration! Is this the reward in our country for a public servant who does her duty?”
Yadav has also been getting support from commoners apart from women entrepreneur Ruzan Khambata and activist Meenakshi Joshi.
In the various clips being circulated on social media, Yadav can been heard and seen trying to enforce the prohibitory orders.
She had begun asking the minister's son as to why the car had a MLA Gujarat board. Sunita even asked Kanani to remove it and said that being deputy health minister's son, it is all the more necessary to follow the rules during COVID times. She also called up the minister, who in turn asked her to follow the rule.
As reflected in the viral clip, she got dejected after her PI asked her to leave. He also told her that there have been complaints against her in the past including one that she made violators do sit-ups.
Earlier, the deputy minister's son was also heard telling that he would make her stand for 365 days.
In one of the clips, she is also heard swearing and saying that she was leaving as her hands are clipped and that she has been asked to leave.
