HimVani
Shimla: An AIDS awareness programme titled ‘Chords for Cause’ was held at the Ice Skating Rink here on September 18. While the event was a great hit with more than 650 persons attending it, the organisers alleged that cops deployed at the venue spoilt the show as they were forced to pack up well before the sanctioned time.
While all participants and many visitors got themselves checked for AIDS, the event was unexpectedly forced to stop at 5:45 pm, despite permission to carry on till 7 pm. Only two out of six bands were able to play. Geet Dhonsi, one of the organisers, alleged that three drunkards had managed to get through to the venue and tried to create useless trouble but the two cops deployed there instead of removing them rebuked the organisers by saying: “Ye police ka kaam nahi hai, hum tumhare naukar nahi hai.”
Dhonsi claimed that he had personally met additional SP (Shimla) and told him that they were expecting a gathering of approximately 700 persons. “But, we got only two cops from the department, one being a female. Around 5:30 pm an officer named Yosuf Ali asked me for the permission letter, which clearly stated that we could continue the show till 7 pm. Even after verification, we were forced to close the show immediately. The cops forcibly made the audience leave the venue and made lame excuses. Their last words were, ‘Aaage se tereko permission bhi nahi milegi, main ja ke baat karta hun kisne tereko permission di’.”
