COVID: If govt worked effectively, why is there increase in cases?, asks Siddu

Bengaluru: Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly Siddaramaiah, targeting the BJP government in the state for the spike in COVID-19 cases said that the government’s mismanagement in containing the pandemic has led to increase in cases.

Hitting out at Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, the Congress leader, in a series of tweets, said now there is a vaccine for the virus, but no vaccine for the BJP government’s alleged corruption.

”Rapid increase in the COVID-19 cases is the proof for our allegation about the government’s mismanagement in containing the infection. Chief Minister of Karnataka, if your government worked effectively, why is there an increase in cases?” Siddaramaiah asked.

Noting that the Chief Minister had cited expenditure on COVID-19 as the reason for reduced expenditure for development, he questioned, ”had the govt worried about the pandemic so much, why is there no control of the pandemic? What does CM have to say about this?” Karnataka that has seen a spike in cases recently has been reporting over 1,000 cases for the last three consecutive days. As of March 18 evening, cumulatively 9,65,102 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed and they included 12,415 deaths and 9,41,309 people who were discharged.

The total number of active cases stood at 11,359.

Yediyurappa, in his budget speech, had informed that Rs 5,372 crore has been spent for management of the virus but the details of the spending were still hidden in his suitcase.

The former Chief Minister asked, ”Will the govt come out clean at least now and clear the doubts of people?” ”There is a vaccine for COVID-199 now but where should we get the vaccine for the BJP government’s corruption? I just hope the government will learn lessons from the first wave and effectively manage the second wave to save lives and livelihood of the people,” he said.

Siddaramaiah had last year alleged irregularities of Rs 2,200 crore in procurement of COVID-19 equipment and had demanded a probe by a sitting High Court judge to which the government denied.

State Congress president D K Shivakumar, too, alleging misappropriation of money in connection with COVID-19, said, ”There are reports that money has not reached the people and that corruption has increased. Our stand is that there should be a thorough inquiry.’