“They Are Enemies Of Humanity”: Adityanath On Why He Is Imposing NSA On People Hindering Work Of Covid-19 Frontline Workers

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that the number of Covid-19 patients in Uttar Pradesh would have been limited had cases not increased due to the Tablighi Jamaat.

He added that if the state looked at the total number of people who have come in contact with the members of the Tablighi Jamaat, or have been associated with them, their number would account for one-third.

He said that it is important to take decisions against those people who are not following rules, and that strict instructions have been given to take action against those people who are hindering the work of frontline workers fighting against Covid-19 in the state.

He also mentioned why action against such people under the National Security Act (NSA) is underway. He said, "they will neither obey the law, nor obey the system, they are enemies of humanity, so we have directed to impose NSA on them".

Adityanath, in an interview to the Economic Times, has said that the biggest culprits in the Covid-19 scenario have been those people who have "been associated with Markaz”.

He added that these people kept a large number of people hidden in the markaz; when found positive for the virus, they were not cooperating during their treatment.

Adityanath added that his government had to take a set of hard decisions because they (the people associated with the Markaz) were misbehaving with the doctors and nurses.

"Now positive results are visible," he said.

On the testing trends for Covid-19 in Uttar Pradesh, and the criticism the government is facing for the perceived "low" testing, Adityanath said that the state has touched the figure of one testing lab to 14 in a month's time, and is continuing to build testing labs. "This is the reason that where 200 tests could be conducted a month ago, today 2,500 tests are being done daily”.

Earlier this month, Adityanath had highlighted the same point, saying that the state had built its testing base at labs in a proactive manner.

Coming to the measures being taken by the state to stitch up a balance in saving the economy and saving lives, Adityanath pointed to the measures being taken by the Centre to help states.

He recounted measures such as the rapid pace at which isolation and testing facilities are coming up; the relief package of Rs 1.70 lakh crore under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana; the financial assistance being extended to senior citizens, the divyangjan and widows, the monthly assistance to farmers and other measures.

Adityanath said that Covid-19 has thrown economic challenges before Uttar Pradesh, but it is equally important for his government to "take care of 23 crore" people of the state.