BJD MLA Supports Opposition's Charge of Covid-19 'Mismanagement' in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Ahead of the monsoon session of the Odisha Assembly, a BJD MLA on Sunday supported the opposition's allegation of COVID-19 "mismanagement" in the state, raising eyebrows in the ruling party. Umashankar Samantaray, the legislator of Satyabadi seat in Puri district, said the opposition parties' allegation of mismanagement of the COVID-19 situation in Odisha is "not totally wrong".

"I agree with the opposition's allegations that the number of ICU beds in the state is not sufficient to cope with the rise in the number of coronavirus patients. As a result, critical patients are being deprived of treatment. "We need to increase the number of ICU beds and set up more COVID-19 hospitals to ensure proper treatment of the patients," Samantaray told reporters.

He said the issue will be raised in the monsoon session of the Assembly scheduled to commence from September29. Congress leader Taraprasad Bahinipati, who has been critical of the state government's management of the COVID-19situation, thanked the BJD MLA for his statement.

"The Satyabadi MLA is honest and therefore he told the truth. His statement may land him in trouble and he may lose the ticket in the next election. I condemn the Odisha government for its failure in managing the COVID-19 situation in the state," Bahinipati said. BJP MLA from Sambalpur and former minister Jaynarayan Mishra also accused the state government officials of getting indulged in corruption in the name of COVID-19 management.

"The government has totally failed to manage the pandemic situation. It is hiding the actual number of deaths taking place due to coronavirus. Patients are not getting proper treatment at COVID-19 hospitals. The state government is indulged in massive corruption and it is the biggest scam of the century," Mishra said. There is no toilet facility for COVID-19 patients housed in quarantine centres at the panchayat level, he said.

Mishra alleged that private hospitals are charging exorbitant rates of Rs 50,000 per day from the patients. "Where is the 5T policy of the state government now? I had earlier said in the Assembly that 5T is a farce and it is proved now," he said.

The 5T policy of the state government stands for Transparency, Teamwork, Technology and Time for Transformation. The BJD, however, is yet to officially react to Samantaray's statement.