DMK, allies to protest on May 7 against state govt's handling of COVID-19 situation, opening of liquor shops

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], May 6 (ANI): Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and its alliance partners have decided to wear black in their respective houses on May 7 as a mark of protest against the state government's handling of the COVID-19 situation and particularly the reopening of liquor shops.
DMK and its allies jointly released a statement to wear black as a symbol of protest and raise slogans against the state as well as the Central governments 'on their failure in handling COVID-19 situation'.
This comes after the state government on Monday announced the opening of TASMAC outlets (state-run liquor shops) in all areas except in containment zones. Later it also announced that the shops will not open in Chennai.
Highlighting the concern over increasing COVID-19 cases in the state, the statement said, "The steps taken by the state government to curtail the spread of COVID-19 is not up to standard. The government's steps to fulfil poor and middle-class needs, shows they don't have the knowledge to face a situation like this."
The statement said the government is just publishing statistics and numbers to project that they are working but they actually 'failed in giving facts and in making people aware'.
"The government failed in constructing basic infrastructure in the health department to curtail COVID-19. It has not shown any interest in the capital city and other cities that are densely populated, with people living in congested areas," it added.
Further slamming the state government, it said, "AIADMK government is only calculating political gains and is not taking inputs from health experts, opposition and media. It has been taking decisions on its own lately."
"Both the Central government and state government have failed in predicting and fulfilling the needs of daily labourers, migrant labourers, poor people, small scale industries. Instead the government has decided to open TASMAC."
The statement said that the decision to open TASMAC will lead to a spread of COVID-19 "so we condemn this decision."
The leaders further demanded the state government to provide financial aid of Rs 5,000 to people as the state is under curfew till May 24.
The statement said due to the lack of PPEs, front line workers like doctors, nurses, police, health workers are getting infected by the virus in the state.
"So condemning the opening of the liquor shops, we are going to wear black tomorrow in our respective homes at 10 am and raise slogans against AIADMK government saying "AIADMK government has failed in curtailing coronavirus". (ANI)