The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) West Bengal unit has urged the Mamata Banerjee administration to withdraw the statewide lockdown restrictions, which have been enforced to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak, on August 5, the day on which the bhoomi pujan for the Ram temple is scheduled.

“We have urged the West Bengal government to reconsider its decision of enforcing a lockdown on August 5 and withdraw it. People are already saddened by the pandemic. The state government should not increase their burden,” said Dilip Ghosh, president, BJP’s Bengal unit.

The West Bengal government has declared a statewide lockdown on seven non-consecutive days in August.

The first lockdown will be enforced on Wednesday (August 5).

Earlier, the opposition parties had attacked the state government for “appeasement” and “incompetence”, as the lockdown dates in August were changed at least three times.

“They had earlier changed the dates four times. There is no harm if it is changed once more. It’s a historic and proud day. The state government should not create an environment in which people can’t celebrate the occasion,” Ghosh added.

Even though Banerjee had announced that bi-weekly lockdowns would be enforced on every weekend, later the dates were changed, as they coincide with Bakr-Eid, Independence Day, Raksha Bandhan and Ganesh Chaturthi.

“We have changed the dates for occasions such as Raksha Bandhan, Independence Day, Ganesh Chaturthi, and Bakr-Eid. People can watch the bhoomi pujan at Ayodha on television sitting at home. The BJP is playing dirty politics,” said Sougata Roy, a Trinamool Congress (TMC) Member of Parliament (MP) from Dum Dum and a party spokesperson.

Preparations are in progress for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lay the foundation stone of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on Wednesday.

The Bengal BJP has urged people to play conch shells and to ring bells to celebrate the occasion on August 5. In the evening, earthen lamps, or diyas, will be lit at homes.

The opposition Congress and the Communist Party of India (Maoist), or the CPI(M), have said that lockdown dates should not be decided to suit religious occasions.

“Lockdown is enforced to control the pandemic. It’s very unfortunate that lockdown dates are being announced after taking into consideration religious occasions,” said Amitabha Chakraborty, a Congress leader.

“Lockdown dates can’t be announced based on panjika (Hindu almanac). The Covid-19 has devastated the economy, as many have lost jobs and are suffering from pangs of hunger. Both the BJP and the TMC have failed to combat the viral outbreak at the Centre and the state, respectively,” said Sujan Chakraborty, a CPI(M) legislator from Jadavpur and a leader of the Left parties in the Bengal assembly.

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