Covid-19: After KCR, Court Pulls Up Jagan Govt Too

[Anta Assamey]

Courts have been playing a key role in reprimanding the state governments which have been failing to tackle the Covid crisis yet trying to show that everything was under control by fudging the figures. In neighbouring Telangana, the high court pulled up the TRS government over the spurt in Covid-19 cases but conducting less number of Corona tests, yet claiming to be doing everything and checking the spread of the disease.

The court chided KCR’s government not once but many times since a surge was witnessed in the first wave of Covid-19.

Now, the Andhra Pradesh High Court also began pulling up the officials over Covid-19 mismanagement, while hearing to a PIL filed by social activist Thota Suresh Babu and AP Civil Liberties Association (APCLA).

The AP High Court expressed dismay over the government when it provided contradictory figures and statement over Covid crisis.

In the last hearing, the government claimed that there was no shortage of oxygen but in the latest affidavit, the nodal officers agreed that oxygen beds were not in sufficient numbers in the state. The court pointed out that there was a huge difference between that mentioned in the affidavits and the ground reality.

Political analysts feel that the CMs of both the Telugu states are following the same path with regard to tackling the pandemic. The officials in both states are presenting false figures both to the media and also the courts to make it appear that the situation is not grave, they said.