AAP opposes 5-day institutional quarantine in Delhi, calls it 'dictatorial'

AAP MLA Raghav Chadha said many people will not get tested in fear of being whisked away to quarantine centres

Aam Aadmi Party leaders on Saturday opposed Lt Governor Anil Baijal's order for a manadatory five-day institutional quarantine for Covid-19 patients, asking why there was one rule for Delhi and another for the rest of the country.

Senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh termed the order "dictatorial".

"I want to ask, what dictatorial order is this? One rule for Delhi and another for rest of the country. Is the BJP government taking revenge on the people? Where will the person be kept, in railway coaches?" Singh asked.

He said that while ICMR guidelines say patients with mild symptoms can be home quarantined, a different order has been issued for Delhi. "It is a very unfair decision," Singh said.

AAP MLA Raghav Chadha said many people would not get tested fearing being whisked away to quarantine centres. "People in my assembly called me and told me that we will not get tested now. People are that scared," he told reporters.

Chadha said Delhi would need 15,000 beds by June 30, but after this order 90,000 beds will be required. "From where will we get these beds?" he asked.

AAP MLA Atishi, who has tested positive for Covid-19, also opposed the order. "As a Covid-positive patient - who is recovering in Home Isolation - am appalled at the order issued by @LtGovDelhi at the behest of MHA that has ended Home Isolation in Delhi and made 5 days of institutional quarantine compulsory," she tweeted on Friday.

Ending the option of home isolation will lead to further spread of the disease ad many people will be scared of institutional quarantine and will not get themselves tested, she added.

Lieutenant Governor Baijal on Friday ordered a five-day mandatory institutional quarantine for every Covid-19 patient under home isolation in Delhi.

For the first time, Delhi recorded over 3,000 fresh coronavirus cases on Friday in its highest single-day spike so far, pushing the tally to 53,116 cases. With 66 fatalities in 24 hours, the death toll reached 2,035.