CHENNAI: Expressing serious concern over people objecting to burying medical professionals who died of COVID-19 in their locality, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Tuesday appealed to them to honour the sacrifice of doctors and field workers engaged in the battle against the virus.
“I hold the doctors and other frontline workers engaged in protecting the lives of people on par with God. I promise you the government will ensure that such unfortunate incidents do not recur. Doctors and other frontline workers engaged in such works need not have any apprehension. We will stand by you,” Palaniswami said in a statement.“
The Tamil Nadu government had directed that the bodies of COVID-19 victims should be laid to rest according to WHO guidelines. I am pained by the recent incidents that took place when bodies of doctors were taken for burial,” he said.
Quoting a Tirukkural couplet on showing gratitude to people who worked selflessly for the sake of others, Palaniswami appealed to the people to cooperate with the government and honour the persons who had sacrificed their lives. He recalled that the government had announced several concessions for frontline personnel working against the virus and the entire country has been hailing their service.Meanwhile, Chennai Police Commissioner AK Viswanathan said people who resist the burial of COVID-19 victims will be detained under the Goondas Act.