Chandigarh, Jun 7 (IANS): Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday directed the Director General of Police (DGP) to register cases under the Disaster Management Act against Opposition leaders and activists who have been staging protests in the state over the past few days.

Terming such acts of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as irresponsible and in utter violation of the strict curbs in place in view of the pandemic, the Chief Minister asked DGP Dinkar Gupta to take action against them under the law.

At a time when people could not gather even for weddings and funerals, leaders and workers of these parties were behaving in a reckless manner, showing no concern for the safety and health of Punjabis, said the Chief Minister, adding that such behaviour could not be allowed or tolerated.

Pointing out that the AAP dharna on Sunday was in fact in violation of the weekend curfew in place in the state, Amarinder Singh said such dharnas and political gatherings were potential super-spreaders and had to be firmly tackled.

The law should take its course, he told the DGP, adding that political leaders had a big responsibility towards society, which these parties had shunned, thus jeopardising the lives of Punjab's people.

This, he reiterated, was not the time to play political games and indulge in dirty politicking but to come together to fight the pandemic to the finish.

Even before the Covid restrictions in the second wave were imposed by the Chief Minister, he had announced that the ruling Congress will not hold any political gatherings.