Worried over rising Covid-19 cases in TN, public call to restrict election campaigns

Madurai: The uncontrolled crowd at political campaigns and meets in Madurai district, amid increasing number of Covid-19 cases, has become a cause of concern for the public.
People, who gather at the political campaigns of leaders, ignore all necessary safety measures like wearing facemasks and social distancing, said P Manikandan, a social activist.DMK president M K Stalin has stressed the importance of wearing a facemask and maintaining a safe distance.
“Get yourself vaccinated and do not have apprehensions about it,” Stalin exhorts in all his meets. “It would be better if he asked the people not to gather in crowds and asked them to read about his manifesto in newspapers,” said S Radha, a resident of Chokkikulam.
All district administrations have announced standard operating procedures that have to be followed at public political meetings, but as of now, with just less than 15 days to go for the polls, political parties are concentrating on mobile campaigns that are drawing huge crowds. “There is no way to monitor these crowds, as almost everyone is not wearing masks and nothing can stop them from crowding round the vehicle,” officials from the administration said.
“A really concerned leader should ask his cadres, who are responsible for gathering the people for these meetings and even bring people non- party members to these meetings, to refrain from sourcing the crowds in view of this dangerous disease,” said founder of Centre for Environmental Services, S V Pathy.
People should be aware that the spread of the disease could lead to the postponement of the elections for which they were working, he added. “A second wave could lead to many drawbacks including having to face a bad economic downfall,” he said.