The Bharatiya Janata Party has criticised the Mizo National Front (MNF) government in Mizoram for allegedly promoting ‘VIP culture’ with its latest decision in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The MNF is one of the constituents of an anti-Congress forum in the north-eastern region helmed by the BJP.
In a statement, the BJP said the government’s decision on Tuesday to designate a 28-bed hostel in the capital Aizawl as a Covid Care Centre (CCC) for VIPs smacked of a bid to differentiate among patients on the basis of their social status.
Accusing the government of being biased, the BJP referred to two cases to drive home its point. One was that of its lone MLA Buddha Dhan Chakma and the other was that of Health Secretary H. Lalengmawia, both having tested positive but asymptomatic.
While Mr. Chakma was shifted to a government hospital on September 13, Mr. Lalengmawia was placed in home isolation. The fresh guidelines issued on Tuesday allow asymptomatic patients to stay in home isolation, provided they have requisite facilities.
“It is very unfortunate that Mizoram is dealing with a biased government. It is tilted towards those who are in good terms with the MNF. When many MPs, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, were diagnosed with the disease, they were not undergoing treatment in specially arranged CCCs but in normal hospitals,” the BJP said.
The party said the special CCC for the VIPs would result in the wastage of public money at a time when the State was reeling under a financial crisis.
Assam fatality past 500
Mizoram continued to be the only north-eastern State without any COVID-19 fatality. Adjoining Assam led the COVID-19 death count with 511 on Wednesday, followed by Tripura with 222. Manipur inched toward the 50-mark with 48 fatalities.
“Complete lockdown is no longer an option but we request the people to take precautions and not to venture out unless absolutely necessary,” Assam’s Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
Many people, however, threw precautions to the wind to celebrate Vishwakarma Puja on Thursday. The police found it tough to control the crowd, especially at the only Viskhwakarma Temple in Guwahati.
