The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] State secretariat has pledged solidarity with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and approved all steps adopted by the government, including the engagement with a U.S. company for data analysis, for containing the COVID-19 threat.
The secretariat that met here on Tuesday felt such initiatives were imperative for the State to contain the virus spread and on resuming normality, all decisions and procedures could be reviewed and the experience used for future guidance. Extraordinary situations demanded such steps to protect the lives of the citizens.
The secretariat said in a statement that the government had to ensure the containment of the virus and also that the health data of the citizens was not used for commercial purposes. Sprinklr was entrusted the task as an available option. Once concerns were raised about it, adequate safeguards were also put in place. All these were within the powers of the government.
Flays UDF
The meeting came out strongly against the United Democratic Front (UDF) that had picked holes in the deal struck with Sprinklr. Such moves are dangerous and inhuman. The experiences of Singapore and Japan show that the crisis is far from over and time has not yet come to shed caution, the meeting felt.
None could predict how long the impact of the virus would remain and the attempts of vested interests to trigger controversies to divert the attention of the government and the public from managing the pandemic should be rejected.
Kerala model
Kerala has set a model for the world in containing the virus spread and also arresting the death toll. The State harnessed the strength of its public health system and public awareness to face the challenge, it said.
Kerala was the first State to announced a relief package. The government ensured that none of its citizens were starving and also framed a legislation to manage the pandemic. The State’s efforts had won international acclaim and the public supported the government beyond party and political considerations, meeting felt.
The Opposition is trying to weaken and destabilise the unity and acclaim the government earned by raising such unfounded charges, the statement said.
