The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has opposed the move to impose heavy fine on people not wearing face masks and urged the government to immediately withdraw it.
In a press release, Dharwad district CPI(M) secretary Mahesh Pattar has said that instead of properly sensitising people and convincing them of the need to wear masks, the BJP-led government has resorted to looting them by imposing fine of ₹ 1,000 in urban areas and ₹ 500 in rural areas for not wearing masks.
He said that the government had failed to address the problems being faced by the people because of the ill-planned lockdown and instead of helping them out, it had resorted to fleecing them on the pretext of imposing a rule to contain COVID-19. This move would amount to putting further burden on commoners who were already under financial duress, he added.
Mr. Pattar said that the BJP government in the State was involved in corruption in the procurement of healthcare equipment and setting up COVID Care Centres. It had looted the public in the name of providing treatment for COVID-19. “Now, it has resorted to looting the people in the name of penalty for not wearing masks,” he said.
While the CPI(M) would appeal to the people to wear masks for their own safety, it would oppose such a loot by the ruling disposition, he said in the release.