Former Chief Minister and Congress Legislature Party leader Okram Ibobi on Sunday slammed the BJP-led coalition government for relaxing the indefinite curfew and lockdown on Saturday, which led to thousands of people binge-shopping while throwing safety and social distancing norms to the wind.
Talking to reporters in Imphal on Sunday, Mr. Ibobi wanted to know who had advised the government to relax the indefinite curfew. He warned that the consequences would be catastrophic as the shoppers and sellers were neither wearing masks nor maintaining physical distance.
Officials said that the curfew was relaxed keeping in mind the festive season.
The government, however, kept the women’s markets in the heart of the Imphal city shuttered. However, experts say this was not of much help as the women vendors were selling things by the roadside. Mr. Ibobi expressed fear at the prospect of some COVID-19 positive person spreading the disease to others in the markets. The coalition government owes a public statement, Mr. Ibobi added.
He further said that a fact sheet on huge quantity of betel leaves that was airlifted to Imphal from Kolkata should be placed before the people. Meanwhile, police arrested five persons, in connection with the airlifting of the non-essential commodity worth several crores, but released them on bail later. One of the accused maintained that the owners of the cargo were businessmen from other States. The local persons were merely transporting the leaves from the Imphal airport to the city, he said. Expressing his displeasure, Mr. Ibobi said, “People would have appreciated if the aircrafts had brought food items, medicine and others to tide over the current difficult situation. The government should come out with the full facts”.
