NCP FLAYS GOVT PLAN TO REOPEN SCHOOLS AMID RISING INFECTIONS
MAPUSA
Contending that the BJP-led government appeared helpless in dealing with the spiralling Covid cases in the State, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Saturday demanded the resignation of the chief minister and health minister for failing to protect the lives of Goans.
It also questioned the government’s urgency to restart schools in the State and sought to hold the government accountable if schoolchildren are caught in the web of Covid infection.
“There is no indication that Covid cases are declining in Goa. Daily, around 14 to 15 people die of Covid in the State which has a population of just about 15 lakh. The government has failed to manage the crisis in the State and therefore the chief minister and the health minister should resign,” said Sanjay Barde, General Secretary of NCP State unit.
The NCP general secretary along with other party members was addressing a news conference in Mapusa.
Continuing, Barde said government hospitals and Covid care centres have run out of beds and capping of rates by the government has put private hospitals out of reach of the common man.
“In such circumstances, the government wants to open schools. Can it guarantee the protection of our schoolchildren from the infection? God forbid, if tragedy befalls on our schoolchildren, then, only this BJP-led government should be held accountable,” he said.
He further disclosed that Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) of several schools have been forced to toe the government line in reopening of schools.
“We will not remain silent if parents and teachers are harassed in bid to open the schools,” he said.
He said a chief minister who backed out from holding the monsoon session of the assembly on fears of Covid spread was today planning to reopen schools.
According to Barde, most government offices were as good as shut as the officials in the department hardly worked during the current pandemic.
He alleged that the government was not concerned about the common man and instead converted the Covid crisis into a business, pointing out to the capping rate for Covid admission in private hospitals as a glaring example.
