Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray meet over lockdown rules

MUMBAI: Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Friday held a meeting with Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to discuss the frequent lockdowns being imposed in some parts of the state.
The development comes in the backdrop of several Congress and NCP ministers in the state cabinet being unhappy with not being consulted over the lockdowns.

In the hour-long meeting, Pawar is learnt to have asked Thackeray to reconsider the ‘2-km rule’ in Mumbai which says people who move out of a 2km radius from their homes will have their vehicles impounded.

The move imposed by Mumbai Police has once again led to an informal shutdown in the financial city, as police have said they will confiscate vehicles of people who are found moving out for tasks other than essential services or for reaching their work place.The move has affected traders, businessmen, shopkeepers and even the common man.

Several retailers and traders had contacted the NCP chief who assured them that he was not in favour of the ‘2 km rule’ and would raise the matter with Thackeray.

The other issue that was discussed was the lockdown imposed by the civic bodies neighbouring Mumbai, like Thane, Navi Mumbai, Kalyan and Dombivli, among others.

The NCP chief is learnt to have said that the state cannot be under a prolonged lockdown and that the lack of economic activity due to the lockdown is hurting the state.