Dengue deaths degenerated into dengue politics with both the left Front and the Congress on Friday descending on streets demanding explanation from Mamata Banerjee Government for letting the dreaded virus take epidemic proportions even as Calcutta High Court directed the State Government to file a report on the real picture of dengue menace.
In what is being viewed as the Marxists’ desperate attempt to gain relevance ahead of the next year’s panchayat elections left Front chairman Biman Bose said “instead of taking steps to address the problem the Government remained on denial mode telling lies to the people over dengue deaths leading the crisis the State is in today. This Government owes an answer and the Chief Minister must explain her conduct and own up the responsibility for causing so many deaths.”
With Friday seeing three more deaths the total number of casualties went up to around 50, sources said adding more than 20,000 people had been affected by Aedes Egyptai virus causing dengue.
While even in its decaying State, the left managed to assemble a large crowd the Congress too put up an impressive show with its State president Adhir Chowdhury calling upon all the like-minded opposition parties to come out in protest against the Government’s mishandling of dengue epidemic.
“We have information that the doctors are being forced to pass the cases of dengue as “unknown fever,” Chowdhury said adding “we want the Government to let us know what this unknown fever is.” BJP has also been holding protest rallies throughout the State for letting the situation assume this proportion.
Aware that the dengue deaths had hit the interior areas of the State’s largest district — with 55 Assembly constituencies — North 24 Parganas, political parties hit the streets to gain the maximum out of the Government’s discomfiture.
Elsewhere the Calcutta High Court hearing a public interest litigation seeking compensation for the dengue victims on Friday directed the State Government to come out with a comprehensive report on the present status of the epidemic.
A Division Bench of acting Chief Justice asked the Government to place a comprehensive report by next Friday on dengue cases and actions taken by the Government to tackle the menace.