Bhubaneswar: Launching a counter attack on BJP, which alleged that Odisha is lacking in COVID-19 tests, BJD said the saffron should refrain from playing petty politics during these testing times.
Earlier in the day, BJP Spokesperson Golak Mohapatra alleged that while Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had earlier directed to increase the testing capacity to 15,000 per day, this has not materialised till yet. He demanded that all inmates of quarantine centres across the state should undergo the COVID-19 test.
In reaction, BJD Spokesperson Sasmit Patra said Odisha is in better situation because of the strategy of setting up of Temporary Medical Centers (TMCs) that none of the states have done. “Can the BJP Spokesperson say in which BJP-run state, have the TMCs been established at Panchayat level?,” Patra questioned adding that no state has done that except Odisha.
Odisha is conducting COVID testing of all symptomatic persons as per the ICMR guidelines for which, the situation is under control in the state. The state has also been doing random testing as per ICMR guidelines, he added.
“As per Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s directions, the COVID testing capacity has been increased to 15,000 per day but Odisha is carrying out the tests as per ICMR and Government of India guidelines. The same testing process is also being followed by BJP and Congress-ruled states across the country,” said the BJD Spokesperson.
He further added, “BJP should first read and learn about their own party led Central Government’s COVID testing guidelines and follow it instead of politicising such a sensitive issue.”
