Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda on Monday said that the COVID-19 pandemic would not have been what it is had the Centre concentrated more on COVID-19 management rather than the elections in five States.
“The surge in virus may have been due to elections in five States. The Centre focused on the elections and did not concentrate on the pandemic. If the focus had been on pandemic, it would not have assumed this proportion,” he told reporters at the Janata Dal (Secular) party office here. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi focused on winning elections and forgot the pandemic.”
On the Prime Minister shedding tears over the loss of lives in the pandemic, Mr. Gowda said that he may have become emotional since his constituency has been badly affected.
Mr. Gowda said that due to the pandemic the Opposition parties are not in a situation to take to the streets to fight the government. “Karnataka has received a raw deal in receiving financial assistance from the Centre. More funds have been given to smaller States. The Centre has shown stepmotherly treatment in allocation of vaccines, medicines, ventilators and oxygen.”
