COVID-19: No religious, social, political gatherings, protests of over 50 in Delhi till Mar 31
New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said religious, social, cultural and political gatherings as well as protests comprising more than 50 people will not be allowed in the national capital till March 31 in view of the coronavirus outbreak.
Delhi has been witnessing sit-in protests at Shaheen Bagh and Jamia Millia Islamia against the new citizenship law for over 90 days. The women of Shaheen Bagh had said the protesters were being provided with masks and hand sanitisers and there was no need to be scared of coronavirus.
The Delhi government has also closed down gyms, nightclubs and spas till March end, the chief minister said at a press conference.
"No religious, social, cultural and political gatherings comprising more than 50 people will be allowed in Delhi till March 31. The restriction is applicable to protests too," he said.
There is, however, no restriction on weddings but people are advised to postpone the dates, the chief minister said.
All auto-rickshaws and taxis will be disinfected for free to prevent the spread of the deadly disease, he said, adding the government will also examine the feasibility of thermal screening of the passengers in the Delhi Metro.
"Of the seven people who have been tested positive for COVID-19 in the national capital, four are still recovering," Kejriwal said.
"We have arranged sufficient beds if cases increase and hospitalisation is needed. Quarantine facilities have been set up at three hotels - Lemon Tree, Red Fox, IBIS," the chief minister said.
The Delhi government last week ordered closure of cinema halls, schools, universities and swimming pools till March 31.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
