Justice Michael F Saldanha, the Retired High Court Judge has impounded a convincing letter to Prabhuling Navadgi, the Advocate General of Karnataka asking for his involvement to make sure that the State authorities including the police behave with mercy towards people during the worldwide pandemic, especially in lockdown when they move out of their houses for getting essential commodities as groceries or food supplies.
Justice Saldanha has also said that all citizens have the right to get their needful commodities during the stipulated hours for their survival at the least and police should abstain from unshackling violence to people who step out even for getting the basic needful commodities. The commoner in this country who has to rely on two and four-wheelers cannot be treated like a criminal when he goes to pick up his food, he added. Does he look forward that in addition to the lakh of citizens who are at death’s door due to failure of governance, many more should die of starvation, the former judge moved to ask.
There is a lockdown in other States as well but no other Government is doing this except Karnataka, he added.
Justice Saldanha also prompted AG Navadgi to suggest the state for rescinding commandeering orders pertaining to the vehicles which were formerly seized amidst the lockdown and to discharge such vehicles as soon as possible.
Lastly, the letter stated that it would better if the AG intervened and resolved these issues, rather than carry it to court.
