People fear fresh lockdown, Cong blames Centre for 'mismanagement'

As the second wave of COVID-19 infection threatens the entire country, it has also forced the state governments to consider the imposition of lockdown, once again, with an aim to break the chain of the spread. However, this news has instigated fear among people who are facing the drastic impact of lockdown in their lives for the second time.

New Delhi: Recently, when the Maharastra government hinted over the consideration to impose lockdown in the state amid the COVID-19 surge, they prompted a flashback of 2020 when panic-stricken people started hoarding groceries.

Though, on Tuesday, Maharashtra Government imposed lockdown-like curbs in the state from 8 pm tomorrow. Section 144 has been imposed in the state and only essential services will be allowed for the next 15 days.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had also stated that the State Government will have to announce a lockdown in the national capital if hospitals start running out of COVID beds.

A small grocery shop owner Imran spoke to ETV Bharat over the matter, "Lockdown will impact us drastically. Last year, we had no idea how we will manage to earn to buy food. I know it is for the safety of people. But it will affect a lot of people like us."

Malti Devi, a vegetable seller, said, "Lockdown is not a solution. People should behave responsibly following all the Covid protocols. if lockdown will be implemented, people will die of starvation."

A tea seller, Zain Rajput stated that people like him earn money on a daily basis. "We are already facing a lot of problems due to night curfew. Even if Government is planning to announce a lockdown then it should provide some financial help to people. People may not die because of Corona but they'll definitely die due to starvation."

As per the latest figures, India has reported 1,61,736 new Covid-19 cases with 879 deaths in the last 24 hours. Many state governments are repeatedly demanding the Centre to remove the age bar from the vaccination drive. They are also complaining about the shortage of vaccines in their states.

While speaking over the matter, Congress spokesperson and economic expert Gaurav Vallabh said, "India is a young country. Its 50% population is less than 25 years of age, 65% population is under 35 years of age and almost 75% is under 45 years of age. But we didn't allow the people under 45 years of age to get vaccinated and started the working of all companies. So it's natural that Covid-19 will spread."

In a scathing attack over the Government, the Congress leader said, "When Central Government failed to manage Covid situation, it blamed people of India, their pandemic fatigue and state Governments. Now the states have no other choice but to implement lockdown. As a result that, rating agencies started downgrading India's ratings like it did in April 2020."

He further explained, "Rating agency, like Nomura, which had forecasted India's GDP at 12.4%, now it has reduced it to 11.5%. The unemployment rate which was at 6.5% in March 2021, has now reached to 7.1%. Once again people have started migrating to their native places. So, there is not much of a difference between April 2020 and April 2021. The only difference is that now the COVID cases have reached to 1 lakh."

He alleged that the Central Government has forced the states to implement lockdown by "wasting time" in activities like beating thalis, clapping and celebrating Tika Utsav.

"It is my appeal to the Central Government to begin universal vaccination. At least 1 crore people should get vaccinated every day. So that we can reduce the economic impact in some way," Gaurav Vallabh appealed.