BJP slams Kerala govt for not having specific policy related to pandemic

BJP Kerala State Vice President KS Radhakrishnan on Thursday said there should be a specific policy related to the pandemic act and should be squarely applied in every case but the government is not doing this.

BJP leader remark came after Kerala High Court criticised the state government for not effectively implementing crowd control measures in public areas amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Radhakrishnan said, "I don't understand the logic that in the ordinary case if a person dies in my family, in my residence only 20 persons are allowed at the funeral. If the death occurs in connection with a VIP, 300 or 400 or 500 persons are allowed. If there are protocols, those protocols must be applied equally to all persons. But the state government makes selective application of law to protect a section of people from every type of legal system. This is dangerous."

KS Radhakrishnan further said that the government has to be more open and has to prove its honesty before the court of law.

"There should be a policy regarding what should be the method. Those specific policies related to the pandemic act should be squarely applied in every case. And the government is not doing this. If the government permits opening the liquor shops, and if the government enjoys the queue there, what's wrong with opening a textile shop? I don't understand. Government has to be more open. Government has to prove their honesty before the court of law," he added.

Earlier on Thursday, the Kerala High Court also said that it is time for the government to make a policy decision on opening shops while considering a petition seeking permission to open garment shops.

The Court directed the state government to clarify its position on the petition by next Thursday.

A weekend lockdown is currently in place in Kerala as part of efforts to curb the spread of the infectious virus. It had been imposed in the state earlier in April when the second COVID wave hit.

Kerala is among the worst COVID-affected states in the country. The state is still recovering, with daily cases hovering between 10,000 to 15,000 for the last few weeks.

( With inputs from ANI )

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