BJP Tamil Nadu president, L. Murugan, on Tuesday requested Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami to cancel the e-pass system for inter-state and inter-district travel during the COVID-19 lockdown. He said Tamil Nadu is the only State with such a process and lockdown relaxations are already in place in the State.
Last week, Leader of Opposition and DMK president M.K. Stalin had sought the abolition of the e-pass system. But Chief Minister Edapaddi K Palaniswami had rejected the demand.
In a statement, Mr. Murugan said, “No other State in the country has this e-pass system. The relaxations from the lockdown have only increased. But people are suffering due to this process.”
The leader of the BJP, an ally of the ruling AIADMK, said people now have to travel to work either within the district or outside their district, and many people are unable to get e-passes even for very important necessities. “Some people are trying to get e-passes through fraudulent means, while instances of fake e-passes being procured have also surfaced. Many married couples have been unable to meet each other, parents are unable to meet their children and many such instances are there,” he said.
Pointing out that people are suffering due to this, he requested Mr. Palaniswami to withdraw the system.
