Maharashtra Minister and NCP leader Nawab Malik has said that the state cannot afford a lockdown and he has reportedly asked Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to consider other options.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Malik said, “We can’t afford a lockdown. We’ve asked the CM to consider other options. Due to rising cases, he has directed the administration to prepare for a lockdown but that doesn’t mean that a lockdown is inevitable. If people follow rules, it can be avoided.”
The minister’s comments came a day after CM Thackeray hinted at the possibility of more restrictions being imposed in the state.
At a meeting with top health officials and the Covid task force of the state, CM Thackeray has instructed them to prepare for restrictions similar to lockdown if people continue to violate coronavirus-related guidelines.
CM Thackeray said that the Covid-19 infections are rising because people are not following guidelines seriously and that is why strict steps like lockdown need to be considered.
‘Lockdown not a solution to control Covid surge’
Meanwhile, Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Patil also didn’t seem to support the lockdown decision and said, “Lockdown is not a solution to curb the spread of coronavirus.”
Patil said not only BJP, but all traders and workers from unorganised sectors will oppose the lockdown.
