Deprived from performing duty to save people: Hakim

KOLKATA: State Transport Minister Firhad Hakim spent the whole day at Presidency Central Correctional Home, lamenting over the fact that he was being deprived from delivering his duty to save citizens of Kolkata amid the Corona pandemic situation.

Hakim as the Chairman of Board of Administrators in Kolkata Municipal Corporation has been at the forefront of the civic body's fight against Covid, constantly supervising arrangements related to vaccination and Covid tests.

While being taken to the Correctional Home on Monday late night, Hakim — who was arrested by the CBI in connection with 2016 Narada sting operation — said: "I was given the responsibility to control the spurt in Covid cases. But, they (the CBI) have deprived me from performing my duty to save people." Her daughter Saba, who met Hakim at the Correctional Home in the morning, said her father had mild fever. His wife Ruby went to the Correctional Home in the afternoon with a home-cooked meal.

"I have not met him but have learnt that he is mentally disturbed and is looking

forward to the verdict of the High Court due on Wednesday," she said. Member of KMC Board of Administrators-in-charge of Health department Atin Ghosh also met Hakim on Tuesday morning. "We will be facing difficulty in our fight against Covid because of the non-availability of Hakim. Being a Cabinet minister, he can take up matters with the government in quick time which is difficult for our officers," Ghosh said.