Home Minister Amit Shah calls upon all chief ministers to discuss lockdown exit route

Union home minister Amit Shah has reached bent all Chief Ministers, sources said, posing for feedback on the lockdown and their views about its extension or lifting after May 31, when the present phase is scheduled to finish.

All Chief Ministers have given their views on how they need to maneuver forward. Over the previous couple of days, the Prime Minister’s Office has been busy reviewing the whole lockdown period to make a decision on the way forward from June 1.

Sources said unlike other times, when the cupboard secretary was the one to form the initial contact, Mr Shah’s move was a political outreach.

The government has been concerned about sharp criticism of its strategy to counter corona virus from the opposition also because the state Chief Ministers, which has pushed it to vary its stance on several occasions.

Home ministry sources yesterday said ultimately, the way forward regarding the lockdown “would be a political call.”

The government’s options include continuation with the National Disaster Management Act, which empowers the Center to require all the choices regarding health, which may be a state subject. Or it can allow the states to possess a final turn how they want to proceed.

During the last extension of the lockdown in mid-May, the government had allowed extensive relaxations, leaving it to the state’s judgment on setting the boundaries.

The announcement was preceded by a daylong meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and every one the Chief Ministers. Even before the opposite extensions of the lockdown, PM Modi had spoken to the Chief Ministers and brought note of their views.

Earlier today, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba had a two-hour video interaction this morning with municipal commissioners and district magistrates of 13 cities, including the four metros to debate the measures being taken for the containment of the virus.