APCC flays BJP for ‘overruling’ SOPs

ITANAGAR, Jul 7: The Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) on Tuesday condemned the BJP for “being superficial,” saying that the party “overruled the lockdown announcement and SOPs released by the state government recently at the inauguration of a BJP mandal office in Sagalee.”
It alleged that, during the inauguration, state BJP president Biyuram Wahge “ignored the guideline on mask wearing and social distancing by grouping and crowding during the programme.”
It also criticized Wahge for stating that it was difficult to maintain social distancing in a tribal state, “when states like Mizoram and Sikkim are successfully following the SOPs.
“Such irrational disclosure explains the failure of the BJP government in Arunachal Pradesh. It has also exposed how the state BJP has failed in its attempt to control the spread of Covid-19,” the APCC said.
Terming the weeklong lockdown in the capital region a “a pause button,” the APCC urged the state government to utilize the time to improve health infrastructure, “especially the number of ventilator-equipped beds,” supply quality PPE, make insurance provisions for health workers, distribute essential commodities in remote areas, “and cross-check the utilization of the CM’s relief fund for Covid-19,” among other things.
“In the situation when two Covid-19 deaths are recorded, the state government should gear up with the availability of ventilators sincerely, instead of allowing political mass movement by violating lockdown guidelines of their own government in the state and the Centre,” it said.