DMK chief Stalin urges TN govt to extend lockdown in state
DMK President M K Stalin's demand came on a day whenthe state cabinet under Chief Minister K Palaniswami is likelyto take a call on extending the lockdown.
On Friday, a 19-member expert committee constituted bythe state government to advise it of steps to tackle theCOVID-19 crisis had recommended that the lockdown be extendedby two weeks beyond April 14 considering the rise in number ofcases. Tamil Nadu has so far reported 911 positive cases.
On Saturday, Stalin wrote a letter to Palaniswami,where he wanted the lockdown to be extended beyond April 14.
Though isolation was a key precautionary measure, manystates had urged the Centre to extend the lockdown, Stalinpointed out.
"The Chief Ministers of Odisha (Naveen Patnaik) andPunjab (Amarinder Singh) have extended the lockdown till April30 and May 1, respectively. Therefore, a due decision on thisin Tamil Nadu should be taken without further delay," Stalin,Leader of the Opposition in the state, said in the letter.
He said the lockdown will affect the livelihood ofthe poor, farmers, labourers and small time traders and urgedthe government to ensure they did not suffer during thisperiod.
He demanded for a cash assistance of Rs 5,000, besidesprovision of essentials like rice and pulses to people.
He also wondered why the state government was notconvening an all-party meet like Prime Minister Narendra Modihad done to discuss the matter, adding, the outbreak of thevirus was not a mere health or medical issue but also a futuresocial, economic, environment and political one.
Stalin also took exception to the state government'sdecision to utilise Rs one crore from legislators' local fundstowards fighting COVID-19, saying the monies were being usedby them only for "public welfare."
"It is the MLAs' moral right. It is not fair on thepart of the state government to snatch away that right," hetold the chief minister.
Palaniswami had on Tuesday ordered utilisation of Rsone crore from the MLA Local Area Development Fund of all the234 legislators towards procuring medical equipment, drugs andfor prevention initiatives against the coronavirus acrossTamil Nadu.
Among others, Stalin sought for giving incentives tohealth professionals and field staff such as police since theywere actively involved in the fight against coronavirus.
While there were apprehensions of Tamil Nadu slippinginto the third stage of the pandemic, the government shouldensure it doesn't happen, he said.
In the event of the state entering the third stage,the government must be prepared to face it, the DMK chiefadded. SA SS