India has been under complete lockdown since PM Modi made the announcement that to control the COVID-19 pandemic the country is under complete lockdown from Monday midnight.
Despite PM’s assurance that groceries and medicines shops will be kept open, there were several instances of police violence against street vendors and few stray bikers. Police are forcefully shutting down all shops violating the general lockdown guidelines.
On Wednesday a 36-year-old man from Bengal went out to buy milk amidst the lockdown. On his way the police stopped him and beat him up with batons, he was badly injured. When he was rushed to the hospital, the hospital declared him dead on arrival.
There have been multiple incidents that have been reported where those found to be violating rules of lockdown have been thrashed by the police and been badly injured.
Telangana CM Chandrasekhar Rao has gone a step further and in his usual dictatorial way announced that ‘shoot at sight’ orders will be given to Police if the lockdown is not taken seriously.
In some states, a large number of cases have been filed against those who flout lockdown rules. 402 cases have been registered in Kerala against those violating lockdown- rules, which include a priest and a police officer. A congress MLA was also booked for violating lockdown rules in Pondicherry.
You might think that with such over-enforcement of police who would defy such orders?
The ruling party BJP thinks that rules are for Janta to follow and ministers are exempt from it.
4. Ram Janmbhoomi Project Marches On
Come rain, shine or Corona, BJP’s pet project Ram Janmabhoomi temple goes unabated. On Wednesday, Yogi Adityanath participated in an event to inaugurate the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, all in attendance of 100 other people.
Ayodhya: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath shifted 'Ram Lalla' idol to a temporary structure near Manas Bhawan in Ram Janmabhoomi premises, till completion of the construction of Ram Temple. CM also presented a cheque of Rs 11 lakhs for the construction of the temple. pic.twitter.com/OwEX5j1oN6
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 24, 2020
Modi had also said in his speech that all religious congregations had to be on lockdown, without any exception. Except, this rule seemed to not apply to BJPs long-standing electoral goal of the Ram Janmbhoomi temple.
Police have also punished people by making them do sit-ups, shaming them, etc. The police have been given unfettered access to using any means to stop the lockdown, and this impunity has already taken the life of one person.
The event didn’t happen in secret, but the CM Yogi Adityanath himself shared the photos and videos of the event on social media.
Yet no lathis, or arrest or shaming for the CM of UP Adityanath!
When the CM of the biggest state is happily flouting the lockdown and making a mockery of all measures to stop the spread of the pandemic, what can one expect from the public?
But No!! There are different sets of rules for Ministers and different ones for the Public.
In UP over 350 violators have been booked for violating the lockdown rules, cases against 5590 people have been registered for violating the rules, and have been shamed for violating the rules.
