Pradeep Singh

Bhubaneswar: While together-we-can- defeat-coronavirus is the slogan for the world right now to fight the COVID19 pandemic collectively, in Odisha, the people's representatives are conspicuous in their absence in tackling the crisis in the State.

The State which did show some exemplary success in managing the pandemic, has reported a steep rise in COVID-19 cases post Lockdown 2.0 due to the massive influx of migrants. This spike seems to have exposed some chinks in armour of the State government amid reports of government officials misbehaving with migrants, unrest at a few quarantine centres and allegations of MLAs and Ministers in the State being sidelined by the State government.

BJD MLA Pradeep Panigrahi on Wednesday wrote a letter urging CM Naveen to direct the district administration to take the local MLAs into confidence while dealing with such issues.

"My point is that the local representatives are well acquainted with their areas and know the people there. If they are bestowed with the COVID-19 management responsibility, no issues will erupt," said Panigrahi.

The letter has created quite a flutter as many believe that ministers and local MLAs are nowhere to be seen in the COVID19 management.

The BJP and the Congress targeted the ruling-BJD alleging that sidelining ministers and local representatives in the fight against the alien disease will prove costly for the State.

"Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik should clarify why ministers are absent in COVID19 management," said State BJP general secretary, Prithviraj Harichandan.

Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati said that people are coming from other states and it is leading to several problems, especially at quarantine centres in village areas. “The responsibility of MLAs and Ministers carry a lot of importance here in managing and controlling the situation, but the government is not giving them an opportunity,” said Bahinipati.

Responding to the allegations, ruling-BJD Rajya Sabha Member Munna Khan said that the State Chief Minister has not stopped any MLA or Minister to visit their constituencies and meet people.

When cyclone Fani hit Odisha in May 2019, no Ministers were in picture. People's representatives should do the work what they are supposed to do, said political expert Prasanna Mohanty adding, "Either the ministers are being sidelined or they are intentionally staying away."

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