NCP opposes Maharashtra lockdown plans

With the fear of a lockdown looming large, the ruling Nationalist Congress Party insisted that a lockdown is not a solution to the pandemic and the people and state are not in a position to afford it

With the fear of a lockdown looming large, the ruling Nationalist Congress Party insisted that a lockdown is not a solution to the pandemic and the people and state are not in a position to afford it.

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The statement came a day after chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday asked state officials to begin preparing a plan for another lockdown that will have minimal impact on the state’s economy. The NCP is part of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in the state along with Shiv Sena and Congress.

Nawab Malik, NCP chief spokesperson and minority affairs minister, said, “Daily cases are on the rise and on Sunday it crossed the 40,000-mark but the people and the state won’t be able to afford another lockdown. We have told the chief minister (Uddhav Thackeray) that lockdown is not a solution to the pandemic and we should focus upon improving health infrastructure to tackle the situation. The way cases are increasing, the state may face a shortfall of beds considering which the chief minister has ordered for the preparations as well.”

He also said the situation was still under control. “The state government has not taken any decision on imposition of a lockdown. The situation has not gone out of control. If people start strictly following Covid rules, we can still avoid lockdown,” he stressed.

In a meeting attended by Thackeray and health minister Rajesh Tope and members of the state Covid-19 taskforce, the chief minister said the citizens were flouting all Covid-19 guidelines and the state would be forced to take this step. He made the announcement soon after the state’s Covid-19 taskforce recommended strict measures including a lockdown to counter the alarming surge in infections and deaths. “There should not be any kind of confusion among the people once a lockdown is announced,” the CM was quoted as saying.

From March 28, the state government has imposed a night curfew, prohibiting gathering of more than five people at a place and shutting down of all cinema halls, malls, auditoriums and restaurants from 8pm till 7am.