GEHLOT SUPPORTS RAHUL’S CALL FOR NATIONAL LOCKDOWN

JAIPUR: Chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday supported the suggestion given by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who recently said that national lockdown is the “only option” to prevent the increasing Covid-19 cases in the country.

“I fully endorse the call given by Rahul Gandhi that national lockdown is the only option left. For more than one year - our doctors, medical staff have been performing under excessive workload for the nation. We have lost many of them,” stated Gehlot in a series of tweets.

He stated: “The second wave is staring us in the face; experts and doctors believe that how much ever we prepare, we are already facing a shortage of oxygen, medicines and other equipment; soon, we may run short of medical staff as well.”

Gehlot also tweeted, “To avoid hardships and miseries for the poorest people, migrant workers and common people like we witnessed last year - a well-planned Lockdown may be helpful in breaking the chain of the virus and help the country to be better prepared.”

On May 4, Gandhi had tweeted: “I just want to make it clear that a lockdown is now the only option because of a complete lack of strategy by GOI (government of India). They allowed, rather, they actively helped the virus reach this stage where there’s no other way to stop it. A crime has been committed against India.”

Commenting on Gehlot’s tweet, BJP state chief Satish Poonia said, “The chief minister himself is confused over lockdown. Last year, he was appreciating his own decision (of imposing lockdown in Rajasthan). Now, the CM has come up with Jan Anushashan Pakhwada (self-discipline fortnight) that nobody understands; marriages are happening; there was no need to play with words.”

He added, “The CM should have imposed lockdown in initial phase when (Covid-19) cases were rising in Maharashtra, but he was afraid of criticism.”