"To Spread Political Virus": Derek O'Brien On Central Team's Bengal Visit
Kolkata: Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien has taken a swipe at a central team sent to West Bengal to investigate alleged violations of the coronavirus lockdown and lapses by the state government.
The Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) is tasked with assessing the situation in Bengal, issue directions to the state authorities and submit their report to the centre, the Home Ministry has said.
"IMCT #Bengal visit served no purpose. Visiting districts with no hotspots. Asking for committee already in place. Real aim is to spread the political virus. Doing it shamelessly. Blatantly. Take ur pick. IMCT= India's Most Callous Team. IMCT= I Must Cause Trouble (in Bengal)," Derek O'Brien tweeted today.
"The Chief Secretary of West Bengal has been widely reported in the media of having stated in his daily press conference that the IMCT is free to visit anywhere and senior officers of the state government cannot waste their time accompanying the IMCT. The above stand is in clear violation of the order of the Home Ministry… as the state government is expected to provide logistic support and facilitate all field visits," IMCT team leader Apurva Chandra said in the letter.
"In the absence of police escort, would the state government take responsibility for the safety and security of the IMCT if it ventures out on its own?" the central team said in the letter.
For the first time, Bengal on Friday officially linked 57 deaths to COVID-19. The state government revealed that according to its death audit committee, 57 COVID-19 patients had died, but asserted that 39 of these were due to co-morbidities.
Only 18 of the deaths were because of COVID-19, Bengal Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha told the media. "Balance 39 deaths were due to comorbidities and COVID-19 was incidental," Mr Sinha said.
The revelation comes on a day the IMCT asked for details on the death audit committee and raised questions over Bengal's coronavirus figures. Questions have been raised about the audit committee by Governor Jagdeep Dhankar and opposition parties in Bengal as well. Several groups of doctors have also wondered the rationale behind setting it up.
