Makkal Needhi Maiam founder Kamal Haasan on Friday attacked the State government for implementing yet another lockdown in Chennai – along with Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Chengalpattu - just weeks after lifting restrictions.
In a statement on Friday, Mr. Haasan said the government’s failure to test international travellers landing in Chennai had resulted in a situation where people had to face such extended lockdowns.
“The one mistake committed by you has ensured that the entire State of Tamil Nadu was in lockdown for 68 days. Economic experts are debating how many years it would take to reach the same situation we had before. The State government is attempting to create a narrative that the spread of COVID-19 is severe only in Chennai without even testing properly in other regions. When will this government realise that this would only make people in other districts feel a false sense of security,” said Mr. Haasan.
He said that the State government should have implemented widespread testing in Tamil Nadu.
“Had they conducted widespread testing for COVID-19 in all districts, people wouldn’t think that it was enough to leave Chennai not to contract COVID-19. The State government, instead, was changing the names of places and then withdrawing it,” he said.
Criticising the Chief Minister and his Cabinet Ministers, Mr. Haasan said they had imposed a lockdown once again in Chennai after relaxing the restrictions without any thought.
“They had already created panic by imposing a ‘lockdown within a lockdown’ and this resulted in Koyembedu market cluster a month ago. Even after one month, they are doing the same mistake. Though they have said that essentials will be available, don’t they understand that the people will panic?” he asked.
Mr. Haasan pointed out that the State government didn’t listen to experts when they said that testing should be increased and continued to test only 300-400 people in the beginning.
“That is the reason for the general lockdown and economic crisis,” he said.
He said that lack of transparency in sharing information had resulted in the State government imposing lockdowns within ‘lockdowns’ for so long.
“The State government should explain to the people about what sort of precautionary measures are going to be taken and how important it is for people to co-operate. This is its duty. I am asking as a citizen who has co-operated with the State government and respected the orders of the State government,” he said.
