Hand over corona hotspots to CRPF if you can’t enforce lockdown, BJP tells Gehlot

Jaipur, April 16 (IANS) The BJP on Thursday hit out at the ruling Congress government in Rajasthan advising it to seek the help of Central forces to control the corona hotspots in the state, including Jaipur’s Ramganj, Kota, Jodhpur and Tonk, if it is unable to enforce strict lockdown in these places.

State BJP chief Satish Poonia accused the state government of following the policy of appeasement due to which, he said, COVID-19 has spread to 25 districts of the state despite the lockdown which earlier was limited to only four districts.

Poonia said Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot was favouring a particular community due to which the state government has failed to enforce total lockdown and curfew in hotspot zones.

“The virus which was limited to four districts 20 days back spread soon to 25 districts despite the lockdown,” he said in a video conference with media.

Poonia said the policy of appeasement of the government was clear when the state government removed information on Tablighi numbers who entered Rajasthan and tested positive later. It was only on Wednesday — after a sudden jump in corona positive patients in Rajasthan — the state government registered a case against one Tablighi member in Tonk, he added.

Poonia said people belonging to a particular community are flouting all norms even in CM’s home constituency. The district collector, feeling helpless, had written to the CRPF and BSF officials on April 12 requesting them to send forces to the district.

“The government has not made this letter public”, he added.

Speaking on the Bhilwara model, he said, “The credit for breaking the corona chain in Bhilwara goes to the people, policemen and health workers. Now, if the Chief Minister wants to take credit, he should repeat Bhilwara story in Ramganj,” Poonia said, adding the BJP stood with the Congress government initially and had given all positive suggestions.

“However, when the government is discriminating on ration and food distribution, then we have to speak up,” he added.

–IANS

arc/prs