Do not criticize, appeals Jawahar Reddy. But why not?

As Andhra Pradesh saw the biggest single-day spike in new corona virus cases on Thursday, health special chief Secretary K S Jawahar Reddy said the state government is making all efforts to insulate the green zones from the effects of corona virus, while restricting cases in red zones.

Andhra Pradesh saw the biggest single-day spike in new corona virus cases on Thursday. The state recorded the most coronavirus cases in a single day with 80 reported on Thursday. It brings the total number of cases in the state to 893, according to the government heath bulletin. The virus has so far claimed 27 lives in the state.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Jawahar Reddy who reviewed the corona situation spoke like a typical politician asking the media not to carry negative reports. “It is perfectly okay if you do not appreciate our work, but ensure that you will not criticize our efforts to contain the spread of the virus. The government’s motto is to protect the green, restrict the red.” The health special chief Secretary said currently around 573 mandals were declared as green zones, 56 red, 47 orange zones by the state government.

In the recent past, the state government was criticized for procurement of rapid testing kits from South Korea at a cost higher than other states. The criticism did not go well with the state government. Another serious criticism the state government had to face from the Opposition was on the front of testing. TDP president and former CM’s N Chandrababu Naidu often expressed concern that the state was not testing enough. However,, Jawahar Reddy said the government was conducting around 3480 test each day in the nine labs across the state. “So, far we have tested around 48,000 people,” he said.

The government also came under sharp criticism for shortage of medical supplies. However, Dr Sudhakar Rao from Narsipatnam and Nagari Municipal Commissioner K Venkatrami Reddy were suspended for their ‘adverse comments’ on the government with regard to Covid-19 crisis. A video of M. Reddy, which showed him criticising the government for blocking the accounts and not supplying the medical equipment such as masks and necessary gear, was widely circulated in the social media.

Trashing reports that there was a shortage of medical supplies, Jawahar Reddy said there is a stockpile of around 1.40 lakh N95 masks, 45 lakh masks, 31 lakh gloves and that the government had placed an order for more medical gear.

Further, the YSRCP MLA was criticized for violating lockdown rules. YSRCP MLA Madhusudhan Reddy took out a rally in Chittoor’s Srikalahasti, what many called as a vulgar display of power. The YSRCP MLA took out a massive tractor rally to distribute rice to the people in Srikahalasti. At the rally, there was a large turnout of the YSRCP MLA’s supporters, a posse of police personnel on bandobast duties, revenue and ward secretariat staff in full attendance. Post the rally, Srikalahasti reported 36 cases, at least 13 of them are government employees, police officers who were part of the rally bandobast. Till that time not a single corona case was reported in Srikalahasti.