'Balcony government must keep eyes on the ground too': Kamal Haasan slams govt after migrants protest in Mumbai
Chennai/IBNS: After thousands gathered in Bandra station in Mumbai on Tuesday, reportedly to protest against the extension of the lockdown, actor-turned politician Kamal Haasan slammed the Centre, terming it a "balcony government" ignorant of the situation on the ground.
"All the balcony people take a long and hard look at the ground. First it was Delhi, now Mumbai," the Makkal Needhi Maiam president tweeted, attacking the government for allegedly not addressing the concerns of the migrant labourers while ordering lockdown.
Warning that ignoring the migrant crisis could trigger a bigger problem than the coronavirus outbreak, he said, "The migrant crisis is a time bomb that must be defused before it becomes a crisis bigger than Corona."
"Balcony government must keep their eyes on what's happening on the ground too," Haasan added, accusing the government of leaving out the impoversihed section in its plan of action against COVID-19.
All the balcony people take a long and hard look at the ground. First it was Delhi, now Mumbai.
— Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) April 14, 2020
The migrant crisis is a time bomb that must be defused before it becomes a crisis bigger than Corona. Balcony government must keep their eyes on what's happening on the ground too.
The massive crowd gathered hours after Indian PM Narendra Modi announced his decision to increase lockdown to combat COVID-19.
" The people gathered at the station are mostly daily wage labourers who are not able to earn since the government imposed a nationwide lockdown on March 25," reported India Today.
The Indian government's imposed 21-day-lockdown was suppose to end on Apr 14.
PM Narendra Modi increased the lockdown till May 3.
After the announcement of the lockdown extension, the opposition questioned whether the government considered the grim situation of the migrant labourers and the poor.
Veteran Congress leader P Chidambaram said, "The poor have been left to fend for themselves for 21+19 days, including practically soliciting food. There is money, there is food, but the government will not release either money or food. Cry, my beloved country."
The poor have been left to fend for themselves for 21+19 days, including practically soliciting food. There is money, there is food, but the government will not release either money or food.
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) April 14, 2020
Cry, my beloved country.
It’s pointless to endlessly debate the rationale & modalities of the #lockdown2
— Prashant Kishor (@PrashantKishor) April 14, 2020
The REAL question however is what happens if we don’t get the desired result even by staying the course on our chosen path till 3rd May?
Do we have an alternate plan or the will to course correct?
Maharashtra is one of the badly hit COVID-19 states in the country.
The death toll due to COVID-19 in India stands at 353, as per the latest figures released by Ministry of Health.
So far, 1189 people have cured or have been discharge from hospitals.
According to the figures, the country currently has 9272 active cases.
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