MUMBAI: Senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday asked the Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra government to revisit its decision to prohibit the door-to- door delivery of newspapers and magazines during the ongoing lockdown period.
In his letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, the Leader of Opposition said the government's decision will defeat the very purpose of printing newspapers.
"The World Health Organisation (WHO) has made it clear that newspapers are safe from coronavirus," the former chief minister said, adding that newspapers must reach people in the time of proliferation of fake news.
Fadnavis stated that the Central as well as the state government have excluded print, digital and broadcast media from the lockdown norms.
"The state government should reconsiderthe revised guidelines issued today that newspaper printing can be done but door to door delivery will be prohibited," he stated.
Meanwhile, Mumbai Press Clubsaid the order to stop door to door delivery of newspapers is uncalled for, especially when reports say that newspapers don't cause infection.
"We appeal to the state government to rethink on its decision and not bleed the media industry to death," the statement said.
The Mantralaya and Vidhimandal VartaharSangh said the notification prohibiting door to door delivery of newspapers and magazines was "injustice" to the print media, and demanded its withdrawal.