KARIMNAGAR: Taking umbrage at Opposition parties for blaming the TRS government for the steep rise in Corona cases, Municipal Administration Minister KT Rama Rao on Wednesday said that when the State was in the midst of a COVID battle, it was improper on their part to make uncharitable comments against the government and the Chief Minister. He was speaking at the Haritha Haram programme organised at Vedurugatta in Choppadandi Assembly segment along with Ministers Gangula Kamalakar and Koppula Eshwar. Rama Rao said the Opposition should bear in mind that if they keep criticising the State government, it would only demoralise the frontline COVID19 warriors.
“It is not as if the State cannot pick holes in the Centre’s handling of the crisis. But we are not doing so as we want the focus to remain on containing the contagion. This is not the time to go at each other’s throats. All of us should work together, shoulder to shoulder, to defeat Coronavirus,” Rama Rao said. He also wanted to know why the Opposition was not looking at the silver lining.
“Several of those infected have recovered and been discharged. Why don’t you acknowledge the fact that the State government did not spare any effort in attending to those who had contracted the infection,” he asked. Stressing how quickly the virus spreads, he recalled how Deputy Speaker T Padma Rao contracted the infection a day after he attended a meeting without a mask. Rama Rao said he had even reminded Padma Rao of the need to wear a mask when he came out.
Though the State was fighting hard, unless a vaccine is made available, containing COVID-19 will be a challenge, the MAUD Minister said. Telangana was at the forefront in the pharma sector, and he hoped that the COVID vaccine would be available sooner than later. Referring to the Centre’s Atmanirbhar Bharat, he said mere slogans aren’t of any use unless they are backed by action.