Australia Prime Minister Dismisses Accusation That India Flight Ban 'Racist'

Muhammad Irfan Published May 03, 2021 | 03:00 PM

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd May, 2021) Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison dismissed accusations that the India flight ban was "racist" and a breach of human rights, saying that half of recent returnees from India to Australia had contracted COVID-19.

Under the new law that came into effect this Monday, Australian citizens in virus-stricken India could face hefty fines and even jail time if they try to return home. It comes after Australia banned all flights from India until May 12.

"There is a raging pandemic [in India] and we need to just continue to take decisions that are in the best health interests of Australia," he told Australia radio station 2GB.

According to the prime minister, all infection rates in Australia's quarantine hotels from visitors entering the country from India had surged from 10% to 50% in just several weeks.

Morrison called the flight ban a "temporary arrangement" to ensure Australia will not be forced into a third lockdown.

However, the prime minister reassured citizens that "no one's going to jail, there hasn't been any irresponsible use of those powers."

Morrison also faced similar accusations when Australia stopped flights from mainland China at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

India has faced an unprecedented surge in coronavirus cases, becoming on Sunday the first country in the world to report more than 400,000 new infections in a single day. The country, struggling with a shortage of oxygen and other supplies, has reported double and triple mutant variants of the virus, which prompted some nations to suspend flights from India.