THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday said that those people staging protest should not desire for an increase in the number of COVID deaths in the state. The Chief Minister was responding when quizzed about the widespread protests held in the state by violating COVID protocols.

"Under the current circumstances, it would be wise if the opposition backs off from staging protests. The crisis is so bad in that we might not be able to control the situation if the number of cases shoots up. The opposition should remember how the LDF opposition backed off from the protest and cooperated with the state government when the state was devastated by Tsunami in 2004," Pinarayi said.

He also added that the opposition should act responsibly in the time of COVID-19 and consider the safety of the public. "Though the opposition may have the right to stage protest, this is not the right time for it as the state is facing the threat of COVID-19. We have seen how even developed countries have struggled to combat the deadly virus," he added.