VIJAYAWADA: Hitting back at the State BJP leaders including its president Somu Veerraju for politicising the government’s decision to impose restrictions on Vinayaka Chavithi celebrations in view of the Covid pandemic, YSRC MLA Malladi Vishnu on Sunday said the government took the decision as per the directives of the Union Home Secretary.
Speaking to the media, Vishnu said the restrictions are only on the public celebrations keeping the possible Covid third wave in mind and there is no necessity to politicise the issue. Veerraju is making false claims that the government has even imposed restrictions on conduct of the festival in temples.
“In order to avoid mass gatherings, the state government had postponed the events like YSR Achievement Awards, Teachers’ Day celebrations and celebrated 75th Independence day without public participation,’’ the YSRC MLA pointed out.
Vishnu also said that the restrictions were imposed as per the para 4 of the Centre’s directives to the States advising the latter to “take suitable measures to avoid large gatherings during the ensuing festival and if necessary, impose local restrictions to curb such large gatherings”.