Karnataka govt failed to utilise lockdown to check Covid-19 spread: R V Deshpande

Former minister R V Deshpande on Tuesday charged the government of failing to utilise the lockdown period to make preparations required to check the spread of Convid-19. He said the State Government should have learnt lessons from Covid-19 management in Dharavi, Mumbai.

"Covid positive cases are increasing in the State day by day due to negligence and unpreparedness of the government. There is lack of coordination between ministers, and officials were also transferred repeatedly. Rapid antigen tests should have begun much earlier while healthcare infrastructure should have been improved prior itself," he said.

Better incentives should be given to Covid warriors and clarity should be given about the distribution of food kits to labourers, he demanded while lamenting that Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa is not as assertive as earlier due to which control over the administration is lost.

Congress supported the government in its efforts to check the pandemic but the government has totally failed in Covid management and a kind of anarchy is prevailing. When the issue of irregularity in the procurement of ventilators, PPE kits, masks and oxygen machines were brought to light by the Congress leaders, BJP issued notice to Congress, which is unprecedented in a democracy. It would be respectable if the government ordered a probe by a sitting high court judge into the matter, Deshpande noted.

Reacting on the Ram Mandir issue, Deshpande said, "Congress welcomed the Supreme Court decision on Ram Mandir. All Indians should respect the principles propagated by Ram and the Ram Mandir construction work should be carried on by winning the confidence of all Indians instead of using it as a divisive tactic".