KOLKATA: Spike in Covid cases in Bengal has become the ruling Trinamool Congress’s poll plank.
Hitting out at the BJP and the Prime Minister, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, while addressing a rally at Nabadwip in Nadia on Friday, accused the saffron camp of bringing 'outsiders' from Gujarat and Rajasthan and spreading Covid in the state.
"Do not spread coronavirus in Bengal, Narendra Modiji. I am repeatedly saying this. Modi can visit Bengal and address rallies. But his party is bringing outsiders -- people from Gujarat and Rajasthan -- for erecting stage and pandals for BJP’s rallies. These outsiders are spreading Covid in Bengal," she said.
The pandemic scenario in Bengal was completely under control, Banerjee said. "We kept the Covid positive cases completely under control. But since the 'outsiders' are coming to Bengal, the count of positive cases is rising alarmingly."
Without naming BJP’s heavyweights visiting Bengal, Mamata said, "The situation was completely under control for the past five-six months. Narendra Modi could have saved all by giving vaccines. But he did not do that. Now they are bringing thousands of people to Bengal who are fleeing after spreading Covid."
Mamata requested the Election Commission to make the Covid test for 'outsiders' mandatory. If the test report is positive, they should not be allowed in the state.
Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, who visited the state on several occasions and addressed rallies, tested positive for Covid on Thursday.
Bengal recorded its highest single-day spike of 6,769 fresh cases and 22 deaths in the past 24 hours.
Referring to her promise of free Covid vaccine to all, Mamata accused the Centre of doing politics over it. "I wanted to give all in West Bengal Covid vaccine free of cost. But the Centre is not giving us adequate vaccines. The BJP is doing politics over it which is shameful," she said.