Don't use lockdown for political benefits: Muraleedharan to Kerala govt over lockdown exemption for Bakrid
Jul 17, 2021
By Aiman Khan
Kochi (Kerala) [India], July 17 : Union Minister and BJP leader V Muraleedharan on Saturday lashed out at the Kerala government's decision of lockdown exemption for Bakrid and said that the Pinarayi Vijayan government is not following a scientific approach to contain COVID-19 and impose lockdown.
"Now the Bakrid has come, the government has announced a three-day exception for the lockdown... My suggestion is to follow the scientific approach and follow the guidelines of Government of India, ICMR guidelines and WHO. Do not utilise the pandemic as means of having political benefit out of it," Murleedharan told ANI.
Kerala government has decided to continue with the complete weekend lockdown with an exception on July 18, 19, and 20 owing to Bakrid, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had said.
Pointing out the high COVID-19 caseload of Kerala, Murleedharan said that the state government is yet to adopt a scientific approach to contain the pandemic.
"In spite of the fact that Kerala accounts for the lion share of the Covid cases in the whole country, the Government of Kerala is yet to adopt a scientific approach to contain the Covid and impose lockdown," he said.
"The government should adopt the lenient stand, handle the Covid and lockdown on a scientific basis and give exemptions on the scientific methodology. This is what is required right now... Instead of knee-jerk reactions, scientifically analysis of the issues is the need of the hour," the minister said.
In the last 24 hours, Kerala recorded 2,923 new active COVID cases and 130 deaths due to COVID-19.
