Published 12:37 IST, March 16th 2020
Shehla Rashid appeals to government to revoke CAA in wake of Coronavirus outbreak
As the coronavirus case in India rises to 114, former JNU student union's leader Shehla Rashid on Monday has said that the government must pull back the CAA
As the coronavirus case in India rises to 114, former JNU student union's leader Shehla Rashid on Monday has said that the government must pull back the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Population Register (NPR) and the pan-India National Register of citizens. She added that to control the spread of coronavirus, the government must take this decision as mass protests are going on in the country. Her remark comes even as anti-CAA protests at Shaheen Bagh in Delhi, and Old Washermenpet in Chennai, as per sources, have been witnessing a wafer-thin crowd due to the coronavirus scare and low television coverage.
Shehla, meanwhile, also added that the country needs to go into lockdown mode. Stating that Kashmir was under lockdown for six months due to a " manufactured crisis", she asked as to why the country cannot go into shut down in the time of real crisis.
Her remarks come even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has clarified that there has been no discussion on a pan-India NRC. Speaking in the Rajya Sabha during the ongoing Budget session, Home Minister Amit Shah, also clarified that no document is required for the NPR. Additionally, the Cabinet, including the Prime Minister and the Home Minister and the BJP leaders have stated clearly that the CAA is meant to grant citizenship and not take it away.
Precaution against Coronavirus
While there is no vaccine to protect against this family of viruses, WHO has released a list of precaution that must be followed amid the worldwide outbreak of the virus:
- Wash your hands frequently
- Maintain social distancing
- Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth
- Practice respiratory hygiene
- If you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical care as soon as possible
- Stay informed and follow advice given by your healthcare provider, stay away from fake news
Updated 12:37 IST, March 16th 2020