Gehlot favours phased withdrawal of lockdown

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday favoured a phased withdrawal of the lockdown, saying it cannot be done immediately after the 21-day period ends.

Addressing a press conference through video conferencing, he said saving lives is important and no step should be taken that would endanger lives.

"We cannot withdraw lockdown immediately. It has to be done in a phased manner, that is what I feel," Gehlot said when asked about the right time is to lift the countrywide lockdown over coronavirus.

He said a decision on withdrawing the lockdown will, however, be taken after the recommendations of a task force set up in this regard are received.

The chief minister said Rajasthan has showed the way on how to contain the spread of the virus by its steps in Bhilwara, which had become a hotspot of the virus, and the same model will be replicated across the state, including in Ramganj, Jaipur.

He claimed that the state authorities reached out to six lakh households in Bhilwara and conducted widespread testing there.

Gehlot also said that Rajasthan will start rapid testing of coronavirus in the state within a week as his government has ordered 10 lakh testing kits from China which will be received soon.

He said Rajasthan is among those states which had taken the virus threat seriously and after holding extensive consultations with various stakeholders, the state prepared itself well and has been successful in containing it so far.

Gehlot also demanded a probe by a sitting or retired judge of the Supreme Court into the Tablighi Jamaat incident, which saw the spread of virus across the country.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also said the party was not against action against Tablighi Jamaat in Nizamuddin if they violated any rules or norms.