Don’t go in for a total lockdown, says Alagiri

‘It will cause immense hardship to 3.5 crore daily wage workers’

The Tamil Nadu government should not consider imposing a full lockdown to combat the COVID-19 spread as it will cause immense hardship to more than 3.5 crore daily wage labourers, TNCC president K.S. Alagiri said on Tuesday. “Full lockdown will not be a solution for the rising number of COVID-19 cases. The Tamil Nadu government should give up such an idea. We saw last time itself that the daily wage workers, drivers, taxi drivers, lorry drivers, farm workers and others were the most affected. If the government implements a full lockdown, it cannot provide food to all of them all the time,” he said. Mr. Alagiri also announced that the party has set up a committee to help COVID-19 affected patients across the State find hospital beds and get medical treatment. The 24-hour helpline number is 98844 66333, he said. According to him, on Tuesday morning itself, the helpline number received a call and the party members coordinated a hospital bed for the person. He also accused the Centre of laxity while condemning Health Minister Harsh Vardhan’s response to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.