New Delhi: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday attacked the Yogi Adityanath government over its inept handling of the COVID-19 crisis which has led to a massive surge in coronavirus cases in the state.
In a letter to the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, the Congress general secretary said at a time when there is an "explosive" growth in COVID-19 cases, the government’s "no test is equal to no corona" policy can lead to a "frightening situation".
She added that the battle against the pandemic cannot be fought by just "managing publicity and news".
यूपी में कोरोना की रफ्तार बढ़ने के साथ-साथ भयानक दिक्कतें सामने आ रही हैं। बेड की बड़ी किल्लत है। अस्पतालों के बाहर लंबी लाइन है। मौत के आंकड़ें बढ़ रहे हैं। कानपुर लखनऊ, गोरखपुर, वाराणसी से बदहाली की खबरें हैं।
मैंने सीएम साहेब को पत्र लिखकर कुछ सकारात्मक सुझाव दिए हैं।..1/2 pic.twitter.com/8e6x4Jhf24
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) July 25, 2020
... यूपी सरकार को हठ छोड़कर एक पारदर्शी और जनहित वाली नीति अपनाने की जरूरत है। 2/2
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) July 25, 2020
Noting that 2,500 cases of coronavirus were reported in UP on Friday, she said almost all the metros were flooded with COVID-19 cases, but now even the villages were not far behind in the spread.
"Quarantine centres in UP are in a pathetic state. In some places, the situation is so bad, that people are fearing mismanagement more than the coronavirus. Because of such a scenario, they are not stepping out of their homes for getting tested," Priyanka Gandhi wrote in her letter.
"This is a great failure of the government," she asserted.
The state government by believing in the "no test = no coronavirus" mantra has adopted a low testing policy, she further alleged.
"There is an explosive rise in COVID-19 cases. Till testing will not be increased in a transparent manner, the fight against the pandemic will be incomplete and the situation can become more frightening," she said.
"The Prime Minister is a Member of Parliament from Varanasi, the Defence Minister from Lucknow, many other Union ministers are from UP. Why can't temporary hospitals be opened in Varanasi, Lucknow, Agra etc." Priyanka Gandhi asked the Yogi Adityanath government.
Tightening its grip over Uttar Pradesh, COVID-19 claimed a record 50 lives in the state on Friday as the deadly virus infected 2,667 people more in the largest single-day spike till date.
