THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Senior Congress leaders criticised Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for his callousness in allowing the CPM to hold party meetings in closed rooms throwing all Covid caution to the wind.Former chief minister Oommen Chandy wondered what message the CPM was trying to send out to the people of the state by doing so.“Political parties including the Congress, and cultural and religious organisations have stopped organising all major programmes till January 31. But the CPM has no sincerity in checking the community spread of Covid,” he said.
Senior Congress leader and MP K Muraleedharan said the CPM was more interested in party meetings. He said the Kasaragod district collector withdrew the order imposing restrictions after taking note of the CPM’s district conference. “The state government’s Covid protocol is similar to the warning ‘alcohol is injurious to health’ on liquor bottles,” he said.
Muraleedharan also wondered why the state government was busy holding “SilverLine study classes” across the state at this time and asked whether they were being conducted by adhering to Covid protocol.
The semi-cadre nature of the Congress does not mean that its workers would offer their other cheek when someone slaps on one side of their face, he said. Hitting back when someone attacks the party workers is also part of the semi-cadre structure, Muraleedharan added.
Chandy said the Covid first-line treatment centres should be reopened in all panchayats and municipalities. He said those patients who would like to stay in their homes should be allowed to take domiciliary treatment.