PM cites nat’l emergency, lockdown extension likely

Says Tough Measures Need Of Hour

Akhilesh.Singh@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:09.4.2020

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday made it virtually clear that the three-week countrywide lockdown will be extended beyond April 14, and said outbreak of the pandemic had created a national emergency which may require more tough measures to enforce social distancing.

“I have been talking to chief ministers and the feedback from them and the district magistrates who are being consulted is unanimous that lifting the lockdown all at once is not advisable. I will talk to CMs again. But the sense as of now is clear that lifting the lockdown is not going to be possible. We have to take tough measures to enforce social distancing,” the PM was heard saying in a leaked audio clip of his comments at an interaction through video link with representatives of political parties. The PMO took strong exception to the leak, a first, of the clip but did not dispute the veracity of Modi’s purported comments where he said the situation in the country was similar to “national emergency” and that it may require imposition of tough measures. Modi said the current situation due to the Covid-19 pandemic had left the country with no option but to take tough decisions.

16 deaths in a day in Maha, 10 in Pune

Twenty-six deaths were recorded across India on Wednesday. Ten deaths were recorded in Pune in Maharashtra, which was the worst hit with 16 fatalities. A total of 592 new cases were recorded nationally —117 in Maharashtra and 64 in MP. P 7

Tablighi chief found at home

Tablighi Jamaat chief Maulana Saad, who claimed to be in quarantine, has been traced to his Delhi house. Police will now get him tested and may question him. He has been booked for holding the meet despite a ban on public gatherings. P7

Modi: Int’l experts and global experience don’t favour lifting lockdown

He said, “We are passing through a situation which is like that of national emergency and which has forced us to take unprecedented measures from time to time. Your response to such measures has been positive in keeping with requirements of national interest. We have to take more tough measures.”

Speaking against the backdrop of a debate over the tradeoff between containing the disease and bearing the economic costs of a lockdown, the PM said saving lives was top priority.

He also said international experts and global experience didn’t favour lifting of the lockdown. Significantly, the PM noted that leaders of all political parties had also spoken against removal of the curbs. “As you all have suggested, lifting of the lockdown is not advisable. The removal of restraints has to be sequenced and there cannot be one single exit plan,” he said.

The opposition leaders left it to the government to decide on extending the lockdown even as they called for mitigating strategies to address hardships due to the measures.

The interaction was, however, not free of controversy with parts of the video interaction being leaked and the PMO stating that this breached sanctity of the discussions. “Over the past few weeks, the PM has been consulting a cross-section of leaders and eminent individuals to forge a truly national and unified front against Covid-19. Selectively leaking the contents of such consultations, as seen today, runs counter to their spirit and objectives and is avoidable,” the PMO said.

The PM’s remarks came as some states strongly indicated that curbs will stay. Kerala has announced a detailed plan that includes not restoring mass transport links with other parts of the country. Goa announced that the lockdown will continue but later stated that the decision will be taken in coordination with the Centre.

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