AP BJP neta invokes basic rights to defy lockdown

Defying Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for a nation-wide lockdown and restriction on the movement of people who must draw a ‘Lakshman Rekha’ around their homes for the next 21 days, state BJP leader Velagapudi Ramakrishna on Friday invoked the fundamental right to freely move anywhere in the country.

Mr Velagapudi filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) to this effect in the Andhra Pradesh High Court, challenging the AP government’s decision to allow people from other states only after enforcing a 14-day quarantine period to arrest the further spread of Coronavirus.

He succeeded in obtaining an order from the AP High Court relaxing the quarantine norms laid down by the YSRC-led state government.

The BJP leaders’ action comes after the Prime Minister wanted a total confinement of people to their homes, wherever they are, based on advise of health experts that voluntary home isolation was best available remedy to contain Covid-19. The bitter experience of several countries proved that delay in social distancing can lead to high spread and huge casualty rates.

In a tragic politicisation of a national emergency, implementation of the lockdown in Andhra Pradesh was mired in controversy, with sympathisers of principal opposition Telugu Desam hailing the HC decision as a “slap on the face” of the Jagan Mohan Reddy government.

Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan too welcomed the HC directive and appreciated the BJP leader for obtaining relief through the court for thousands of people stranded on roads, without going into the merits of the quarantine rule laid out by the state government.

Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy too came under criticism for relaxing his own condition of mandatory 14-day quarantine period for all those coming into Andhra Pradesh by allowing one of the richest contractors in the country, P Krishna Reddy of Megha Engineering (popularly known as Megha Krishna Reddy).