CPI(M) hits out at Modi for continuing to campaign in Bengal, Mamata demands resignation for COVID-19 crisis

The CPI(M) on Sunday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for continuing to campaign in West Bengal assembly polls despite the surge in COVID-19 cases, alleging that he is demonstrating his role as a partisan party campaigner and not that of the country's PM.

“As we Indians suffer under a raging pandemic, we unfortunately don't have a union government. What we have is a PR company, with an electoral campaigner, callously and brazenly unleashing pain, misery and devastation over the masses. Modi demonstrating his role as a partisan party campaigner is more important than that of India's prime minister. That's why his priority is the election campaign, if any time is left, he does something perfunctory for TV images & headlines. A sorry state,” CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said in a series of tweets.

“India is facing its gravest crisis in decades which a former army chief says is like war. But Modi is busy campaigning, unavailable to state CMs and doing a gimmick of a meeting after he has finished with his super spreader events,” he tweeted.

“The Left leader mentioned that his party had earlier announced that it would not hold large public rallies in poll-bound West Bengal. The Congress too has announced it. But this BJP leader, who is also the Home Minister, spouts ridiculous, unscientific nonsense about Covid. Are his and Modi's rallies more important than Indian lives?” Yechury said on Twitter.

Yechury also questioned Modi over his remarks on Saturday that India defeated COVID-19 last year.

“Really? Why are we in this tragic situation? You still have no plan, no strategy to stop sending people to death. Stop mass congregations & your megalomaniac election rallies. Release your private trust fund for people's health,” he added.

Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday demanded Modi’s resignation for mishandling of the COVID-19 second wave and alleged that the prime minister failed in planning to contain the rise in the number of infections.

Asserting that PM Modi did little to address the possible crisis in the supply of medical oxygen and vaccines in the five-six months when the virus had lost its sting before its resurgence this year, Banerjee accused Modi of exporting vaccines to other countries to boost his image in the international arena while there was a scarcity in his own nation.

"For the rise in COVID-19, cases PM Modi has to resign. He is the man responsible for the present situation. He did not make any administrative planning for 2021. And look at the situation in Gujarat. The BJP cannot tackle the COVID-19 spike even in Gujarat, and has brought the entire country, including West Bengal, to such a pass," the TMC supremo said.

Highlighting that the West Bengal government had asked for 5.4 crore doses of vaccine from the prime minister for vaccinating every citizen of the state free of cost, the chief minister said the state was yet to get any response from him.

“West Bengal would have borne the entire cost of the COVID-19 vaccines,” the chief minister had said.

"I will send a strong letter to the PM today on this issue. There is shortage of oxygen and anti-viral drug Remdesivir in the entire country. Who is responsible for this? Had they given us the consent, we would have been able to vaccinate every resident of the state," she said.

"The crisis of life saving materials has also been flagged by the Maharashtra government. But without attending this issue you (Modi) are attending election rallies in Bengal," she said.

Accusing Modi of exporting vaccines to 80 countries, she said, "We have no problem if you help others in the world, but first give it to Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bengal, and other states of the country. You failed to do so and were only concerned about your image-building exercise in the global community."

A record single-day rise of 2,61,500 infections have taken India's total tally of COVID-19 cases to 1,47,88,109, while active cases have surpassed the 18 lakh-mark, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday.

The death toll due to the disease increased to 1,77,150 in the country with record 1,501 new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.

(With agency inputs)