Shiv Sena slams Centre for ignoring second Covid-19 wave

Shiv Sena mouthpiece Samaana on Saturday slammed the Centre for “ignoring” the second wave of Covid-19 and stated that the Central government, along with the Election Commission are responsible for the current situation

Shiv Sena mouthpiece Samaana on Saturday slammed the Centre for “ignoring” the second wave of Covid-19 and stated that the Central government, along with the Election Commission are responsible for the current situation. The editorial said that the Covid-19 situation would have certainly been brought under control had the Centre reduced the “political dose” and focussed on the fight against the pandemic.

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On Thursday, India added 217,353 fresh infections and 1,185 fatalities.

“The Centre is not ready to tackle the coronavirus emergency properly... China was held responsible for the first wave of coronavirus, [but] Election Commission and the Centre are responsible for the current wave. Covid-19 spread 500 times faster from states where elections were held or is underway... For polls and political selfishness, the rulers of Delhi created a wave of epidemic by not tackling Covid-19,” the Sena mouthpiece said in an editorial published on Saturday.

The party blamed election rallies in the four states and Union Territory where elections are underway. It also said that the coronavirus transmission has gained pace due to the Kumbh Mela.

“The vehemence of Covid-19 continues, but the election rallies and Kumbh Mela have not being stopped. Lakhs of devotees congregated at Kumbh and took a dip in the Ganges, which led to transmission of coronavirus across the country. But if the Prime Minister is not ready to stop the election mela in West Bengal, then why should the saints and seers be blamed for Kumbh?” it stated.

It further added, “Had the Centre reduced the political dose and kept focus on controlling the spread of coronavirus, the situation wouldn’t have gone out of hand. But the government moved the capital to West Bengal and coronavirus devastated Delhi. Once the capital falls, how long does it take for the country to fall?”

The editorial said that the Centre should keep its “ego and political gains aside” to tackle the second wave. It added that the Union health ministry claimed that BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party)-ruled states are doing better than non-BJP ruled ones, but “[the situation in] Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have forced the ministry to hide their faces”.

The Sena mouthpiece said that this is not any state’s failure but a “failure arising from the carelessness of the Centre”.