Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra doubted the truth behind the number of coronavirus positive cases in Uttar Pradesh and advised the state government to maintain transparency over testing.
She also slammed the government for slashing dearness allowance (DA) of employees.
In a tweet on Saturday, Priyanka said, “Many people are expressing concerns over testing in Uttar Pradesh. Transparency is very important as far as the fight against coronavirus is concerned. The society and government can together defeat this epidemic.”
Attaching four posters as suggestions in the tweet, she averred, “The whole world is of the view that maximum and proper testing is the key to preventing the virus. The UP government has stopped telling the number of tests being conducted for the last two days.”
The Congress general secretary further said, “Full transparency is needed as far as testing is concerned so that people get information and the society and administration can together fight against this epidemic. Hiding figures or reality will make this problem more fatal. The UP government needs to understand this as soon as possible.”
Priyanka said that it was important to put out figures like how many tests were taking place every day, in which lab of the state and what was the per day capacity of testing labs, including KGMU, in the state, before the people.
In another tweet, she said that it had been said that swabs of several dozen people were being collected through one kit for pool testing in Uttar Pradesh.
“Health experts have set strict rules for this process, which, if not followed properly, could cause harm. The government should undertake full care in pool testing and furnish information to the public about the same,” she said.
Priyanka further said that following guidelines of the World Health Organisation in quarantine centres was significant. “A report regarding availability of food and breakfast at these centres, regular check-ups by health workers and cleanliness should be issued. The plan to re-examine a suspect, even after being sent home following the completion of quarantine, should be made clear to the public,” she advised.
In another tweet on Saturday, Priyanka expressed displeasure over the cut in the DA of government employees. “When employees are working in adverse condition, risking their lives, cutting their wages is a matter of concern. This should immediately be withdrawn,” the Congress leader asserted.
Priyanka, however, hailed the decision of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on directing officials to finalise a plan about how labourers stranded in other states could be brought back to Uttar Pradesh.