CM bats for lockdown extension
KCR asks PM for 2 weeks; irked by SM reports that he extended curbs till June 3
Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on Monday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to extend the nationwide lockdown beyond April 14, when the three-week nation-wide lockdown comes to an end.
While addressing a press conference at Pragati Bhavan, Mr Rao said, “I propose that the lockdown be extended by at least one or two weeks and then we can take a call on ending it.”
Mr Rao said, “We can recover from a hit to our economy but we can’t bring back lives of people. A civilised society could not bear pain, trauma and tragedy of a large-scale human loss. A lockdown is the only weapon that India has, given our weak infrastructure as a developing country.”
He said, “The lockdown is impacting all sections of society and economy at large. But coronavirus is the biggest crisis faced by all of mankind and calls for unprecedented measures.”
Mr Rao revealed that during his conversation with the Prime Minister on Sunday, he requested Mr Modi to ascertain opinions of all Chief Ministers regarding the lifting of the lockdown.
He said that even a partial lifting of lockdown after April 14 was not so easy and it will prove to be a gigantic task to control people.
The CM said that lockdown was the only weapon to contain the pandemic and he will request the PM to not hesitate in extending the lockdown. Mr Rao was irked with “misrepresentation” on social media and by certain news agencies in carrying his appeal to Mr Modi on extension of nationwide lockdown.
The CM was referring to recommendations by the Boston Consulting Group, wherein, in one possible scenario, it recommended that a lockdown was required till June, because India “does not have sufficient medical infrastructure and manpower”.
However, certain news agencies flashed reports that the CM appealed for lockdown to be extended nationally till June 3.
When health minister Etala Rajender brought this to the CM’s notice. Mr Rao, enraged, said, “I explained to mediapersons at the presser my statements in Hindi, English and Telugu for their understanding so they carry with true spirit my appeal to PM Modi. It is unfortunate the media is miscarrying information without verifying facts.”
Mr Rao attacked social media harshly, which he alleged was “turning into anti-media”. He said “some vernacular media are also carrying lumpen and ugly stories” in this crucial hour.