Shiv Sena slams Centre for advice on avoiding COVID-19 lockdown imposition

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 22 (ANI): Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana on Thursday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's suggestion to state governments regarding lockdown imposition during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
"Imposing lockdown is the only alternative to break the chain of coronavirus cases in a state like Maharashtra, despite this the Prime Minister has given the advice to avoid the lockdown" the editorial pointed out.
PM Modi had recently asked state governments to treat lockdown only as a measure of the last resort and concentrate on micro containment zones.
The numbers of positive COVID-19 cases and deaths have been increasing in the state, so a complete lockdown of 15 days should be imposed, it said. Such demands have been made by several states, it added.
"Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will take the appropriate decision on this, but on what basis is our Prime Minister giving such advice over lockdown?" the editorial further said.
Maharashtra has to cancel the Class X examination. The Central Government has also cancelled the CBSE board examination last week. The situation in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka has gone out of control, it added.
The editorial said that the state unit of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has made recommendations that the Gujarat government should impose a lockdown for two weeks in view of coronavirus.
The coronavirus is not coming under control despite imposing several strict restrictions.
Saamana alleged that the people are roaming around the state in the name of essential services so lockdown has become an "essential service".
The coronavirus has been spread everywhere, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra have tested positive for COVID-19. This is worrisome, it pointed out.
It added that the stock market has been falling due to Corona in the last two days. This is true, but the country's economy has collapsed for the future.
Those who will survive from coronavirus will die under the crumbling economy, it alleged.
Prime Minister Modi's visit to Portugal was cancelled in the view of COVID-19 but had he eliminated West Bengal's crowded election rallies in time then the virus could have been prevented.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has mobilised lakhs of people across the country to campaign in West Bengal. They have returned to their respective states with the infection.
Haridwar's Kumbh Mela and West Bengal's 'political mela' has only given coronavirus to the country. Rulers have to impose the restrictions on themselves first, it said.
The Prime Minister and President of other countries impose such restrictions on themselves first. This has given them the moral right to give advice to the public, it said.
There is a shortage of oxygen in the country and the Central government only gives a formal answer to this. In the country's capital Delhi, COVID-19 patients are dying in the absence of oxygen. The Delhi High Court has reprimanded the Centre for this, it pointed out. (ANI)