The Central Government has started focusing special attention on AP considering its rapidly increasing virus infections. TDP is cornering CM Jagan Reddy by highlighting his party MLAs violations of Modi lockdown. Former Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu has expressed concern that Coronavirus cases were rising day by day in Andhra Pradesh in an alarming manner contrary to projections by the Niti Ayog about a countrywide decline in new cases by May 16.
He blamed the ruling YSR Congress Party Ministers and MLAs for what he described as ‘their insensitive and irresponsible’ activities during lockdown that caused 101 per cent increase in +ve cases in just a month’s time. Telugu Desam Party (TDP) would complain to the Central team with video documentary evidence in a day or two on how the Jaganmohan Reddy government failed to prevent lockdown violations by YSRCP leaders that led to a spike in COVID cases. By organising crowd-based activities to seek votes, the YSRCP MLAs contributed to the spread of infections. The AP Government became undependable, creating a situation where people should take it as their personal responsibility to observe physical distancing and self-quarantine.
Mr. Ramakrishnudu said that Central teams already visited five states to monitor preventive measures and one more team would visit AP soon. While many reports showed deteriorating situation in AP, the YSRCP government was under reporting new cases to mislead the entire nation. AP government was trying to show a lesser rate of increase in new cases by drawing comparisons with inflated number of tests than were actually conducted. Official reports already available indicated that new infections rose to 1,016 by April 15 as against just one case on March 14.
Mr. Ramakrishnudu expressed alarm that in just a month, COVID cases rose by 101 per cent putting AP in number 2 position in the list of states reporting the highest number of cases in South India. If infections rise with the same rapidity, AP may report doubling of infections by May 3, when extended lockdown ends. AP Government was talking only about increased test reports but not about rate of increase in incidence of infections in its eagerness to show infections rate as low as 1.66 per cent.
Accusing the government of fudging figures on new cases, Mr. Ramakrishnudu asked CM Jaganmohan Reddy to explain the ‘reverse logic’ behind decreased infections rate despite the fact that there was a rise in number of +ve cases. AP has also performed very poorly with recovery of COVID patients put at just 16 per cent as against 31 per cent in Telangana, 222 per cent in Kerala, 33 per cent in Karnataka and 49 per cent in Tamil Nadu. In the percentages of recoveries, AP stood at the bottom of the list in southern states.
The Opposition Leader in Legislative Council blamed the AP’s alarming COVID situation on what he described as a comprehensive failure on the part of ruling YSRCP leaders in all stages of preventing incidence and spread of infections. Ruling party leaders made the first wrong step by showing criminal complacency in general. Later, they failed to step up testing, contact tracing and treatments. They failed to reduce rate of recoveries. Their failure to observe lockdown strictly made AP rise to fifith position in COVID fatalities in just one month and also reach 8th position in new cases. The AP Government is hiding all these details for fear of losing public credibility.
Mr. Ramakrishnudu held CM responsible for the present hopeless situation in AP as Jagan Reddy’s initial dismissal of COVID as just a common flu caused untold damage. CM’s paracetamol and bleaching powder statement reflected the AP Government’s utter negligence towards saving people from dangerous epidemic. Jagan Reddy should explain who should be held responsible for 100 per cent rise in virus cases in the state.
The TDP leader further said that it was only after CM’s light statements that YSRCP Ministers, MLAs and leaders behaved irresponsibly by mobilising crowds during lockdown. They got huge Central funds in the name of Coronavirus fight but had cut monthly salaries and pensions for employees and retired persons. Prices of essential commodities were also increased, imposing an unbearable burden on common people.
