Ahead of all-party meet today, Rajesh Tope hints at blanket lockdown for at least two to three weeks
CISF personnel watch a person walk into a containment zone in Dharavi in 2020. Pic/Atul Kamble
Caught between the rising number of COVID-19 cases and street protests against the restrictions, the state government is mulling a way out, and to make the curbs more effective. Health Minister Rajesh Tope did not rule out a blanket lockdown for two-three weeks. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has convened an all-party meeting on Saturday to decide on it.
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Shops shut in Dharavi during the lockdown in 2020. Pic/Shadab Khan
The state has been recording the highest number of active cases in the second wave of infections. Hospitals are running out of beds and healthcare staff is under unprecedented duress. Since breaking the virus chain seemed to be the only way to reduce the workload on hospitals and COVID care centres, the government has been expecting restrictions put in place from April 5 will discourage gatherings of people. However, the curbs evoked adverse reaction from retailers, traders, the unorganised workforce, the opposition BJP and the Congress which wants all shops open. One of traders’ associations said on Friday that after having discussed the issue with Thackeray, it was decided to open even non-essential shops from Monday. But it seems they will have to wait for the government’s fresh order.
A leather goods manufacturing unit at Dharavi shut in the lockdown in 2020. Pic/Shadab Khan
The hints of a blanket lockdown came on Friday from health minister Tope and opposition leader in the upper house, Pravin Darekar. Tope said the state needed a complete lockdown of two-three weeks to contain the spread and improve health infrastructure. “A blanket lockdown can be imposed when the situation demands,” he said, without forgetting to add that the state was doing its best to arrest the spike.
Darekar said the CM wanted to arrive at a harsh decision on Friday itself. “I participated in a meeting which decided to postpone the public service commission examination to be held on April 11. The discussion shifted to making the restrictions stricter and it seemed the CM wanted us to approve of a complete lockdown,” said Darekar, adding that he suggested to the CM to not take hasty decisions, and invite leaders, especially from the BJP, to the meeting tomorrow wherein they could discuss all possibilities.
Previously, Thackeray had taken ex-CM Devendra Fadnavis and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena President Raj Thackeray into confidence before imposing the current measures. Later, Fadnavis said that the BJP’s nod was misused to impose lockdown-like restrictions even on weekdays, thus creating resentment among the people who were denied their livelihood. He said the BJP had agreed only for a complete lockdown on weekends. Early this week, Raj Thackeray pointed out certain shortcomings in the restrictions imposed. He advised his cousin to make amends to allow people to make ends meet.
What the BJP wants
Darekar said the BJP could support a total lockdown only if the state government gave traders, retailers, other businesses and the unorganised workforce financial relief. “Relaxation in duties and taxes, license fees and some other perks should be given to them. We also demand that the unorganised workforce be given R 5,000 for the lockdown period,” he said, after submitting a memorandum to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, seeking relief for traders and workers. “The Governor is the state’s constitutional head. The CM is confused. We urged the governor to instruct the government to do the needful for the affected people,” said Darekar.
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