Lockdown again! Opposition to hook and whip the State government

Cracking health structure, strained administration, overworked doctors and medical staff and the whopping rise
Lockdown again! Opposition to hook and whip the State government

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

SILCHAR: Cracking health structure, strained administration, overworked doctors and medical staff and the whopping rise in positive cases have brought the Deputy Commissioners of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi together on one platform to press Chief Secretary Sanjay Krishna for necessary approval to declare 9-day lockdown beginning from August 27 to end on September 4 and across the valley simultaneously and it did become effective. In fact, for some days the talk of another shutdown was in the air and with that the voices of dissent from public. The opposition waiting in the wing got the long awaited bait to hook and whip the State government. After all, they know on which side the bread is buttered most when the battle for ballot is closing in.

Congress, AIUDF and civil society in the three districts are on the front to question the logic and justification of another lockdown. All in one voice asked the administration to think of the plight of daily wage earners like rickshaw and cart pullers, street vendors, petty businessmen, poor and downtrodden classes. Instead of caring for these people and also the majority opinion of senior citizens, Cachar administration has taken unilateral decision. Karimganj and Hailakandi administration has not taken the pains of consulting senior citizens.

Sushmita Dev, former Congress MP and All India Mahila Congress President, is on the front to say 'People of Barak are opposed to another lockdown after 67 days of shutdown.' Taking a dig at Himanta Biswa Sarma, Minister of Health, and Piyush Hazarika, Minister of State for Health, on their failed assurance of a 1000 bed hospital and a COVID Care Centre with updated ICUs and ventilations for Barak people, she jibbed 'Fulfil them in 10 days, people will welcome lockdown.' CRPC, Forum for Social Harmony, March for Science as well many other organisations have advised for improving health system and services as lockdown is no solution.

Ajijur Rahman Talukdar, President AIUDF Karimganj district committee, reacting strongly to lockdown said, 'This is a ploy to throttle the voice of opposition. Opposition is united to frame charge sheet against the state government for its many sided failures.' In Hailakandi and Karimganj, there is little or no semblance of good infrastructure for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. Minimum arrangement for better health care facilities like antigen kit and oxygen cylinders is lacking. Public opinion as articulated by the opposition is more for enforcing guidelines issued by Union Home Ministry and Union Heath Ministry strictly and that is the best way to control coronavirus. But the way Karimganj MP Kripanath Mallah, Deputy Commissioner, Ambamuthun MP, IAS, MLA Krishendu Paul and Zila Parishad President Ashis Nath inaugurated the 100 bed Covid Hospital in Civil Hospital at the border town in the wake of pandemic raised the question of social distance. What message did it convey, people ask?

Also watch: A Blind Family's Fight For Survival


Top Headlines

No stories found.
Sentinel Assam
www.sentinelassam.com