Congress veteran Tarun Gogoi terms Assam Govt's anti-COVID-19 efforts as "failure"

Guwahati: Congress veteran and 3-time former CM of Assam Tarun Gogoi today claimed that the health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has failed in curbing the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

"It is true that the Government has failed to control the spread of the virus. I do not have to say that, the numbers speak for themselves. The way it (COVID-19) is increasing, even the Union Health Minister has been compelled to urge him to take the necessary precautions and steps to check the spread of the virus in Assam", Gogoi told media here today.

Gogoi also lamented that lakhs lost their jobs, many lost their livelihoods, and many have had to stand face-to-face with death in the wake of the outbreak. "As a finance minister, he has failed on the economic front as well. Lakhs of people are unable to put together enough for two square meals", Gogoi further accused. Comparing the current BJP regime to a "dictatorship", Gogoi said, "He (Biswa Sarma) has given us veiled threats. However, we will not hesitate to raise our concerns."

"As a responsible opposition party, it is our duty to point out the lapses of Govt dealing with major problems like Covid 19, flood erosion, unemployment, etc. Himanta's overreaction, indirectly giving threat of taking stern action of those critics of him exposes his frustration", for former CM of Assam later added in a tweet, chastizing his long-time rival.

Gogoi's comments have come after Himanta Biswa Sarma, who has been waging a war against the COVID-19 virus across the state, slammed the opposition for "politicization" of the issue.

Earlier, an NGO called Assam Public Works (APW) which had filed the first petition in the Supreme Court demanding preparation of National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam, had written an open letter to the Chief Minister of Assam, Sarbananda Sonowal, asking him to take action against the alleged 'Contractors' syndicate' in the Health Department run under the leadership of the said contractor Dhanuka who is allegedly allotted contracts worth crores of Rupees flouting norms for the supply of equipment, medicines etc.

The APW further stated that it would knock at the door of the Prime Minister if the Chief Minister failed to take action to stop the unholy nexus of contractors. Biswa Sarma, in turn, has lambasted these allegations and accused some players of "politicizing" the COVID-19 health crisis for their own private gains.

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