Lockdown call should have been taken by Centre: CM

JAIPUR: Supporting the need for a lockdown to curb the rising Covid-19 cases, chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday said a lockdown decision should have been taken at the central government level to ensure effective coordination between states.

On May 6, the Rajasthan government announced a lockdown from May 10 to May 24, and put a ban on marriages till May 31.

“All of you are aware that the situation in the country is becoming frightening due to the corona epidemic. In this situation, lockdown is needed more than ever to prevent infections. The central government has left the decision to all states,” Gehlot said in a series of tweets.

“On the basis of previous experience, I am of the opinion that this decision should have been made at the level of the government of India, so that the common people, including labourers, should have faced minimum hardships and at the same time there would have been better coordination between the states.”

He said, “Today, many states such as Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, Haryana, Karnataka and Delhi are imposing lockdown. Many states are closing the entry of residents of other states. We have also decided to impose strict lockdown in the state from Monday. This time, the infection of Covid is spreading at a rapid pace in rural areas and among the youth.”