West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said she would urge the Election Commission to not allow “outsiders” into the state without a negative RT-PCR report for Covid-19, even as she claimed it was these people. coming here to attend and organise BJP’s rallies, who could be carriers of the virus.
“The Narendra Modi-led government, in a bid to hold elections, neglected Covid-19 as a result of which cases are rising now. . . . We would urge the Election Commission of India to not allow anyone to enter the state without a Covid-19 RT-PCR test report,” she said at a public rally in North 24 Parganas.
West Bengal reported 6,769 new cases on Thursday, the highest daily count the state has registered since the outbreak was first reported in early 2020.
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“Thousands of people are coming from outside the state when there is a Modi rally to organise the programme, and build the stage and pandals. All hotels and guest houses are being booked. How do I know whether they are Covid infected? They don’t undergo any RT-PCR test,” she said.
The TMC chief has been alleging over the past few days that the daily Covid count in the state has spiked alarmingly because of outsiders accompanying BJP leaders from other states.
“We would urge the EC not to allow outsiders in Bengal without a negative report. The Prime Minister is welcome. But why should they bring people from Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan? Pandals should be set up by local people after undergoing Covid-tests. Don’t spread Covid in Bengal, Narendra Modi, we are repeatedly urging you. You have done nothing but politics,” Banerjee said at a rally in Nadia.
In a tweet on Thursday, Banerjee also urged the EC to hold the remaining phase of assembly elections in one go. The poll panel has, however, said that it won’t be possible.
{{/usCountry}}In a tweet on Thursday, Banerjee also urged the EC to hold the remaining phase of assembly elections in one go. The poll panel has, however, said that it won’t be possible.
{{/usCountry}}At another meeting in North 24 Parganas, the chief minister said, “Covid-19 cases had dropped and there were hardly any cases for five months. The Narendra Modi government could have vaccinated people during that time. They knew that a pandemic continues for around two years. Now here is a surge in daily cases again. I had written to the Prime Minister to supply vaccines. But they didn’t give us.”
Reacting to Banerjee’s repeated attack on the BJP, holding it responsible for the surge in cases, party spokesperson Samit Bhattacharya said, “Hearing the CM saying that Modi is spreading Covid-19, any people within India and even abroad would laugh. The Modi government is helping several other nations to fight the disease. The TMC knows that they are going to lose and hence, are making such wild allegations. As a CM, she should not make such statements, blaming outsiders for the virus spread, because, lakhs of people from Bengal go to other states to work as there is no employment opportunity in the state.”