STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA), Zulfkar Ali on Sunday said ‘Guest Control’ order is a step towards social reform.
Speaking at an interactive session with the representatives of various civil societies, the minister said that people from all quarters have been complaining about the menace of extravagant expenditure on social functions, especially marriage ceremonies.
The minister said there were many instances when some people from both Jammu and Kashmir provinces came to him to seek some financial assistance to organise the marriage functions for their children. “Concept of marriage is to bring joy in the family, not to give sleepless nights to the parents,” he said. “Due to societal compulsions majority of the families that cannot afford extravaganza are forced to exhaust all their savings only to follow the trend set by some affluent,” he said, adding “Guest Control’ is a respite for the majority population who suffer in their race to match the taste of elites.”
The minister clarified that the government has no intention to interfere in someone’s religious belief. He said order is for the welfare of everyone from Hindu to Muslim to Sikh and to Christian.
Responding to the demand by various civil society leaders to decrease the guest number, the minister acknowledged that he is well aware with the fact that the number was quite large. However, the minister added it was finalised so that the interests of everyone from catering business to banquet hall owners are taken care off. Earlier MLA Rajesh Gupta also appreciated the government for bringing out the order and said “order” is the need of the hour.
Director, FCS&CA, G S Chib, Joint Commissioner Municipality M S Jamwal, Former Secretary, FCS&CA K B Jandial, Patron Mahajan Sabha Council Nagar Jugal Mahajan, President Greater Jammu, Central Mahajan Sabha S P Langer, Chairman Mahajan Sabah Trikuta Nagar Bal Krishan Gupta, General Secretary S S Jain Sabha, Raman Jain, General Secretary Mahajan Sabah Gandhi Nagar P C Gupta among heads were also present on the occasion.
Later, the minister attended another meeting in this regard in which the order was discussed with the representatives of various Traders Organizations.
Chamber of Traders Federation (CTF), while endorsing the intent and spirit behind imposition of restrictions on injudicious use of essential commodities in social, government and private functions through guest control order, sought slight amendments to make it more popular and people friendly.
Divulging about the required changes in the aforesaid order, President CTF Neeraj Anand said that any blanket ban on distribution of sweets especially Ladoos and dry fruit packs along with marriage invitation cards shall tantamount to interference in the religious sentiments connected with various customs and rituals being followed during various ceremonies amongst almost all religions as any exchange of dry fruits/sweets in the range of Rs. 500 leaves a healthy message with the invitees and consolation to various stakeholders like Dry Fruits Dealers and Halwais, Confectioners, Bakers, etc.
“The Supreme Court order in respect of noise pollution and timing for the use of fire crackers beyond 125 decibels is already in force and should be specified in the aforesaid order, however the use of amplifiers and loudspeakers should be restricted”, he stated. Matter of social welfare and importance should be left to the good services of civil society, good committed Samaritans and not to the whims and fancies of persons with dubious intentions viz Inspector Raj, he asserted.
