On Covid-19 spike, Kerala CM passes the buck to stirs; denies lowering guard during Onam

He also said that Harsh Vardhan's remarks on Kerala's Covid-19 spike during Onam needs to be seen only as an alert to other states

With Kerala coming under the limelight for lapses in resisting Covid-19 during Onam, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan blamed it on the opposition parties for carrying out stirs flouting social distancing norms.

Vijayan also said that the state did not relax restrictions during Onam and only minimum restrictions were given along with stringent norms to avoid gatherings for celebrations as well as at shops. Enforcement was also tightened during the Onam season and the police booked many for flouting the norms.

He also said that Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan's remarks about Covid-19 spike in Kerala during Onam needs to be seen only as an alert to other states as major festivals were in the offing.

Vijayan reiterated his earlier criticism against political parties for carrying out stirs flouting social distancing norms. Attempts were made to sabotage the efforts of the state to resist Covid spike and the state faced its consequences, he said.