BHUBANESWAR: Embarrassed by repeated complaints on short supply of Covid-19 vaccines to the State, the BJP on Monday launched a counter attack on the BJD government for mismanaging the pandemic leading to higher casualties.
In a political resolution, the State executive meeting of the BJP said that the second wave of the Covid pandemic took maximum toll due to sheer mismanagement and inefficiency of the State government. It miserably failed to check the spread of infection and as a result even tribal hinterlands were not spared.
“The State government has failed in testing, tracking and treating to combat the virus. Ignoring repeated demands of the BJP to open temporary medical centres in rural areas proved costly. Many Covid positive patients lost their lives due to delayed treatment for which the BJD government is solely responsible,” said State vice president Bhrugu Baxipatra after the meeting.
Accusing the government of hiding the actual number of Covid related deaths in the State, Baxipatra said the families of the deceased persons were deprived of many welfare schemes announced by the Centre.
Showering praises on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Dharmedra Pradhan for their timely assistance in ramping up Covid care facilities in the State, the resolution said critical medical equipment provided by the Centre during the first wave and funds released from PM Cares have remained unutilised.
The leaders strongly disapproved of the BJD attempt to politicise the vaccination programme by putting big banners and posters of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the inoculation centres. The meeting presided by State unit president Samir Mohanty passed a resolution on 10 political and social issues besides a roadmap for the next three months.
Rampant corruption in the implementation of the flagship rural housing scheme under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, MGNREGS, return of migrant workers to other states due to shortage of work in Odisha, mismanagement in paddy procurement, large scale unemployment and vacancies in government services, border and water sharing disputes with neighbouring states, power tariff hike were the issues discussed elaborately at the meeting.
The saffron party decided to oppose tooth and nail the government’s alleged move to acquire land from the Institute of Minerals and Material Technology and hand it over to private parties for hotel business.
The meeting held in virtual mode was attended by Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Pratap Sarangi, MPs, MLAs, State BJP in-charge D Purandeswari and State observer Vijaypal Singh Tomar.