Monday, April 19, 2021

It is for states to decide on lockdown: Shah

It is for states to decide on lockdown: Shah

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

19.04.2021

Amit Shah added, “The speed at which the virus isspreading today iscertainly problematic but I have full faith that we will win the second fight against the pandemic.” He also highlighted that most of the worst affected states were those which had large diaspora populations. “Punjab, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Kerala, Delhi... it is these states which have a larger international travel,” he said.

On the possibility of a lockdown, Shah said it was for states to decide. “For the last three months,we have allowed states to impose restrictionsas per their analysis. Every state is fighting a different battle. Evaluation will have to be done by state governments, and they have the right to impose restrictions. It is up to states to decide what needs to be done to curb the spread. If the situation is normal in Assam even after the elections, what is the need to impose lockdown there?” he said.

When asked about political parties carrying on with their campaign amid surging infections, the minister said the issue fell within the jurisdiction of the Election Commission. “The EC spoke with all parties, and it was decided to reduce campaigning by one day andtofinishtheday’scampaign by 7 pm. Political parties were urged to provide masks and sanitisers at rallies and my party has,starting withthe PM’s rally on April 17, provided5croremasks.Butwhatisto be done about an election which is under way can only be decided by the EC,” he said.

Shah was bullish about BJP’s prospects in the Bengal polls and said the party’s strong performancein the2019 Lok Sabha elections had dispelled people’s doubts about its electoral viability and it was set to win more than 200 seats. “I have enough experience of participating in elections. I can guarantee you that BJP will form the government with more than 200 seats,” he said.

On the Sitalkuchi incident, he repeated his allegation that West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee first engineered the incident by inciting people to gherao paramilitary personneland then tried to exploit the deaths of those who were killed in the firing that ensued.

Full report on www.toi.in


CASTING A SPELL: Union home minister Amit Shah at a rally in East Bardhaman in West Bengal on Sunday

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