Refusing to be drawn into any controversy against the backdrop of the UP Government bringing back thousands of its students in buses from Kota, Information and Broadcasting Minister, on Sunday, however, called for fully observing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s request to people to stay wherever they are. He also asserted that unlike leaders in some other countries, who are “confused” between the choices of shutdown and letting economic activities pick up, Modi is “not in two minds” about the way forward and knows what needed to be done and when.
The Yogi Adityanath Government had on Saturday sent buses to Kota in Rajasthan to bring back students from the State stuck there. This had irked Bihar Chief Minsiter Nitish Kumar who said it was against the spirit of lockdown
A day before a host of relaxations to boost economic activities kicked in amid the nationwide lockdown, Javadekar said that more relief measures are bound to come if India continues to manage the coronavirus crisis well, asserting that “you cannot (have) lockdown permanently”.
When asked about the incident of buses ferrying UP students, Javadekar told PTI, “I will not go into any particular incident but let me make it clear that the Prime Minister has spoken about people facing hardship when they are away from home. He has advised them to stay wherever you are. That is the real point,”
Some Opposition leaders have also questioned why the Central Government is not making similar provisions for stranded migrant labourers to return to their homes.
“Our policy is stay wherever you are and help each other,” Javadekar said, adding that Modi’s appeal in this regard should be observed 100 per cent.
A member of the group of ministers to oversee the measures to combat the pandemic, Javadekar said, “The PM gave the call of lockdown at the right time and is now partially allowing economic activity while the lockdown continues. With such a (huge) population we have managed well, if this continues we will get more relief.”
While the relaxations starting from April 20 are primarily aimed at boosting the rural economy, Javadekar expressed confidence that economic activities will start in cities as well “sooner than later”.
“The lockdown has been very successfully conducted. The world is praising it because this is the way to fight the coronavirus. But even after this you cannot (have) lockdown permanently. It was needed to start economic activity. The world has seen that in such a pandemic the country which saves lives actually then gets better. We have saved lives and at the same time we must start economic activity. To that end Prime Minister has partially opened economic activities,” he said.
To a question about Rahul Gandhi’s claim that the lockdown is not a solution to the pandemic, he took a dig at him, saying that the Congress leader must be “more knowledgable” about COVID-19 than others.
“The world is praising India for timely lockdown and its good implementation. Compared to what we are witnessing in western countries, we are doing much better,” the senior BJP leader said, in an apparent reference to thousands of deaths in developed countries like the US, France and Italy.
Javadekar said, the PM kept a keen eye on the COVID spread outside India even when there was not a single case here and would tell his cabinet colleagues about its potential danger and seriousness.
India now has 700 COVID-19 hospitals, over one lakh isolation beds, more than 11,000 ICUs for coronavirus patients and has begun manufacturing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), rapid test kits and masks that it did not no earlier, he added.
The Union Minister said the partial resumption of economic activities, including all agriculture-related work, fishery and dairy works besides industries active in rural areas, under the prescribed guidelines, will be a good relief to the rural economy. The work under MNREGA will also start and over 13 crore families will benefit, he stated.