PM Modi pushed thousands of lives into danger by holding rally in Tripura: TMC

KOLKATA: Claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had 'pushed thousands of lives into danger' by holding a rally in Tripura amid rising Covid cases in the country, Trinamool Congress on Tuesday accused the former of turning the north-eastern state into a 'Covid manufacturing hub.' TMC MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray criticised Modi for addressing rallies in Meghalaya and Tripura, flouting all Covid norms.

He alleged that Modi himself had not worn masks and his statements on the Covid affected people and those, who died of the infection, were nothing but "lip-worship."

Trinamool Congress' Tripura unit tweeted: "The Prime Minister of India is pushing thousands of lives into danger! Turning Tripura into a 'COVID Manufacturing Hub', does the PM really think he is capable of protecting people? SHAME ON @narendramodi ji. SHAME ON @BjpBiplab for TOYING WITH PEOPLE'S LIVES!"

Ray said the BJP-led government did not allow Abhishek Banerjee, party's national general secretary, to hold rallies at Astabal Maidan–the same venue where Modi addressed people on Tuesday–on the pretext of Corona. Several Trinamool leaders and workers had been arrested in Tripura on the grounds of Covid violations and were later released by the High Court.

He said the state government in Tripura was shameless that they had declared holiday in academic institutions and government offices and made attendance of the students and teaching staff and employees mandatory at Modi's meeting.

He alleged that before the 2021 Assembly election, Modi had held rallies at the Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata, flouting all Covid protocols. Despite requests from Mamata Banerjee, TMC chairperson and the party to club the last three phases of election due to Covid, the ECI looked the other way and the result was a sharp rise in the number of Covid cases after the election. He apprehended that similar things might happen in Tripura as flouting the Covid norms, gathering was allowed.