TMC leaders, however, were not available for comments. (Representational Photo)
The BJP in West Bengal has launched an online opinion poll on “Role Of West Bengal Government On Fight Against Covid-19†to reach out to masses amid the prevailing lockdown due to COVID-19 outbreak.
Earlier this week, the opinion poll has been launched on the official website of Medinipur MP and Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh where the saffron party has shot four questions asking people whether the Mamata Banerjee government is suppressing facts regarding coronavirus situation in the state.
The opinion poll questions, featuring both in Bengali and English, asked people if they believed that the Bengal government was hiding information pertaining to the coronavirus pandemic; who were responsible behind people not getting free rice and pulses sent by the Centre; if the CM’s appeasement policies led to violation of lockdown rules in some particular area. It also alleged that West Bengal had the lowest rank in terms of coronavirus tests conducted per million population, and asked if people thought that this would compromise the battle against the pandemic.
The opinion poll came after BJP leaders accused the state government of hiding facts on the actual number of deaths and positive cases in the state and slammed the administration for the alleged PDS scam.
“We have been saying it for a very long time that the state government is inept in handling the COVID-19 situation and has failed to control it. It has been hiding facts on COVID-19 positive cases, and cremating bodies in middle of the night. In addition, people here are not getting ration, which has been provided by the Centre. There is huge corruption in PDS in several villages where people are not getting rice, dal and other essentials. Through this poll, people will be able to give their opinion about the state government in handling the present crisis,†said Ghosh.
Sources said this is the BJP’s attempt to read the pulse of people at a time when they are not physically present on the ground.
TMC leaders, however, were not available for comments.
Meanwhile, Ghosh on Thursday filed a PIL before the Calcutta High Court, questioning the legality of a death audit committee set up by the state government to look into the causes of patients’ death, before declaring whether they are caused by COVID-19. The PIL also questioned the state health department’s decision to ban patients from keeping mobile phones with them in CCUs and ICUs of hospitals.