The Amnesty International and the Human Rights Watch have called upon India to act with restrain during the lockdown against coronavirus saying that the state machinery has become a larger threat than the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a statement, Amnesty International India Executive Director Avinash Kumar said the lockdown has left millions stranded, struggling to search for food and water.

He said this is unfortunate and the Indian government must ensure that “insensitivity and brute force be replaced by people-friendly measures in battling coronavirus.

HRW South Asia Director Meenakshi Ganguly too urged Indian authorities to ensure that everyone has access to food and medical care, and that the poor and marginalized are not mistreated.

She said the Indian government’s responsibility to protect its people from the outbreak should not come at the cost of human rights violations.