Dissent brews in Maharashtra over fresh Covid-19 curbs

Hours after new restrictions came into force in Maharashtra, protests and discontent seems to be brewing against the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government.

In the financial capital of Mumbai and other cities like Pune, Nashik and Nagpur, there have been small protests by shopkeepers against the ‘Break-the-Chain’ initiative that replaces the earlier ‘Mission-Begin-Again’.

Meanwhile, the leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis shot off a letter to Thackeray saying that the people are stressed because of the lockdown. MNS president Raj Thackeray too urged the chief minister to have a relook at some of the restrictions.

Also read — Maharashtra govt cheated people with strict Covid lockdown: BJP

Fadnavis, a former chief minister, said that the government should talk to the small businesses and general public and issue revised guidelines. “When you spoke to me about the need to impose strict restrictions to check the spread of the virus, we agreed since it was lockdown for two days. But the lockdown like restrictions for the other five days had resulted in unrest among the people. Some groups are on the streets to protest against these restrictions,” Fadnavis said.

“Due to the undeclared lockdown, retailers, small businesses, saloons will be affected. It is important to check the pandemic, but at the same time, a time shouldn't come where there is a question mark on the livelihood of people," he said.

Senior BJP leader Raj Purohit has urged the business community to stand outside their shops with placards on Thursday and wear black badges. “This is political corona,” he said.

Also read: 'Much, much worse': Maharashtra, India's richest state, swamped by Covid-19 second wave

The Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) has stated that the Maharashtra government’s latest ‘Break The Chain’ order is equivalent to another complete lockdown. Maharashtra has around 10,500 hotels and 210,000 restaurants.

“Even after one year, the Hospitality industry has not received any relief from the government. Of the approximately 30 lakh employees engaged in the industry directly in the state, 40 per cent have faced job loss and the figures are only increasing. Many employees, who have just returned from their homes, will have to be compensated to ensure that their families are not made to suffer all over again. There is no way that the industry can survive another lockdown,” says Sherry Bhatia, president, HRAWI.

“If corona crisis does not kill people, lockdown surely will,” said Vasai-based AAP leader Susheel Dwivedi.