scorecardresearch
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Support Our Journalism
HomeIndiaCovid norms go for a toss at huge rallies of TRS, BJP,...

Covid norms go for a toss at huge rallies of TRS, BJP, Congress in Telangana for civic polls

Huge roadshows were conducted earlier this week across several districts in Telangana despite state witnessing 1400% jump in Covid cases in the past month.

Follow Us :
Text Size:

Hyderabad: The second Covid-19 wave may be ravaging the country, but political parties in Telangana seem not to care much as their leaders were caught campaigning for local body elections with huge road shows and rallies.

Leaders of both the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and the opposition BJP have been conducting huge road shows in different districts. The Congress too has been holding campaigns.

The rallies clearly violated Covid-appropriate norms as hundreds attended them, with many without masks, and followed zero physical distancing.

The elections to Khammam and Warangal municipal corporations, along with five other municipalities — Achampet, Siddipet, Nakrekal, Jadcherla and Kothur — are scheduled on 30 April.

While state Energy Minister G. Jagadish Reddy, a TRS leader, conducted a roadshow in Nakreka, Nalgonda district, Tuesday, which resulted in a huge, closely-packed gathering, Health Minister Eatala Rajender held a roadshow Monday in Warangal. Finance Minister Harish Rao campaigned at Siddipet on Monday and Tuesday.

Other Cabinet ministers such as Errabelli Dayakar Rao and Puvvada Ajay Kumar have also held road shows this week. ST Welfare, Women and Child Welfare Minister Satyavathi Rathod also conducted a roadshow Monday.

The Telangana unit of BJP conducted two roadshows in different areas of Warangal Urban district covering about 17 divisions Tuesday, the last day of campaigning.

The BJP had last week announced they would not hold big rallies with more than 500 people in poll-bound West Bengal amid the surge in Covid cases. 

But the damage was already done. The state saw a 1400 per cent rise in Covid cases from mid-March to April, and large election gatherings have been the major reason for the spike. 

But the party seems to have learnt no lesson. 

The BJP, which posted pictures of its rallies on Twitter, deleted it later after facing backlash.

The Congress too have been campaigning, with party leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, among others, campaigning in a few divisions in Khammam earlier this week.

The election campaigning seems to have contributed to a massive surge in state’s Covid cases in the last one month. For example, from 535 cases on 27 March, the state reported 8,061 cases on 28 April — a jump of 1400 per cent.

There were political campaigns earlier this month too for the Nagarjuna Sagar bypoll, which was held on 17 April.


Also read: Telangana emerges as vaccine ‘wastage champion’, India sees over 35,000 new cases in 24 hours


No takers for SEC directive

BJP state president Bandi Sanjay Tuesday held a massive road show in Warangal Urban district’s Paidipalli and Arepalli areas. He also conducted a bike rally Monday in Warangal as part of the poll campaign. 

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kishan Reddy, who belongs to Telangana, has also been campaigning for the local body polls. The minister participated in several programmes Monday across 12 divisions of Warangal Urban district. He also conducted roadshows Tuesday in Khammam district. 

These large gatherings of all the parties have been taking place despite the State Election Commission (SEC) asking them to follow the Covid-19 protocols and limit their campaigning. 

The Telangana HC even pulled up the state police and called it a “joke” for booking only four cases across the state against those violating Covid protocol of social distancing at public places, and filing just two cases for unlawful holding of public meetings. 

The court also sent a notice to the SEC asking them to furnish an action plan on how they plan to manage crowds during the upcoming elections.

This also comes amid the Madras High Court lashing out at the Election Commission of India Monday by calling it the most “irresponsible institution” singularly responsible for the raging second wave of Covid in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. 

The court also said that murder charges should probably be imposed on the panel. 

In an attempt to stop the spread, the Telangana government imposed a night curfew till the end of April. Keeping in view the festive season, the government banned only religious gatherings until the end of the month, with no restrictions on social and political gatherings.


Also read: This ancient Telangana folk artform was struggling to survive. Then Covid pushed it to edge


‘Suicidal to conduct elections now’

The political parties in the state had also campaigned in a similar manner for the Nagarjuna Sagar bypoll.  

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had held a public meeting as part of his campaigning on 14 April. Five days later, he tested positive for Covid, according to a statement from Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar’s office.

TRS candidate from the seat, Nomula Bhagat, along with his family, also tested positive for Covid. 

Experts said it’s “suicidal” to conduct elections now.

“There are reports that in West Bengal, incidence of Corona has increased many fold after every round of elections. Back home, by-elections of Nagarjuna Sagar has affected many people, including political bigwigs who’ve participated in election meetings and rallies…When the writings on the wall are clear that elections will accelerate the spread of Corona, it is nothing but suicidal to go for elections,” said Padmanabha Reddy, secretary of non-profit, Forum For Good Governance.

The organisation last week wrote to the SEC urging it to postpone the 30 April elections by two months and conduct it once the Covid situation improves.

The Telangana government had in 2019 brought in the new Municipalities Act. Its Section 195 says the schedule of and dates on which elections can be conducted shall be decided by the SEC in concurrence with the state government. 

Reddy, in his letter to the SEC, said the state government is taking advantage of this clause and directing the SEC to conduct elections. 

(Edited by Debalina Dey)


Also read: 12.2% of Telangana exposed to Covid, sero prevalence rose 20 times from May, says ICMR survey


 

Subscribe to our channels on YouTube, Telegram & WhatsApp

Support Our Journalism

India needs fair, non-hyphenated and questioning journalism, packed with on-ground reporting. ThePrint – with exceptional reporters, columnists and editors – is doing just that.

Sustaining this needs support from wonderful readers like you.

Whether you live in India or overseas, you can take a paid subscription by clicking here.

Support Our Journalism

4 COMMENTS

  1. Who will hold the courts and specifically SC accountable for their part of the mess they allowed to create. In late January/early Feb this year, when the Andhra Pradesh Government approached SC for postponement of polls, the SC dismissed the plea without even considering the report submitted by the Health Ministry. I am not supporting the motives of the AP Govt where they tried to postpone due to differences with the SEC. But the grounds of the argument were very much valid as the data submitted was from the Central Health Ministry. Below link gives the information. The Central Health Ministry report did mention the huge spike in cases elsewhere like in Europe, US, Brazil due to the second wave. based on which they expected 4-5 fold increase in cases. Informally, I am even aware that the Hospitals in AP have given instructions to buy additional equipment, and other service infrastructure based on this report. I hope someone from the media will raise this issue and hold even the courts accountable. The link below gives the news report I am referrring above.

    https://indianexpress.com/article/india/andhra-pradesh-local-body-polls-sc-dismisses-govt-plea-against-sec-decision-7161888/

  2. Why blame only political parties and the Election commission. What about the teeming masses who participate in such rallies. After all they are not compelled to participate just as they are not compelled to break other Covid SOPs. As long as people choose to go against common sense and wisdom no government can do anything. If everyone is gripped with a death wish then so be it.

  3. FOR THE PAST FEW DAYS……….Filthy journalism by the likes of The Print to build an anti-Govt narrative.
    Do you have any idea how the rabidly anti-India Western media is feeding off the likes of you? Have you seen the insensitive and downright filthy headlines of numerous international newspapers, which only confirm latent racism and parochial attitudes?

    How different your language was when the virus was blazing its way across the US & Europe. Do Indians deserve any less respect in death?

    Do you have the guts to remind readers that this virus originated in China?

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Most Popular