NMC allows BJP banner on ambulance at special Covid testing camp

Nagpur: Displaying BJP banner on a civic body’s ambulance during a special camp organized for collection of swab samples of high-risk contacts of Covid patients and comorbids in ward no. 34 has raised a political storm in the city.
Opposition parties have accused Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) officials and employees of allowing the BJP workers to use the ambulance for displaying the party’s banner having its leaders photos.
TOI has picture in which the banner on the ambulance claims BJP unit of ward no-34 has organized the RT-PCR camp. The banner also highlighted pictures of BJP leaders and corporator Nagesh Mankar.
The camp was inaugurated by Mankar, co-opted corporator Kishor Wankhede, who is also president of BJP unit of South-West Nagpur and others from the party.
With the decline in testing, the civic body has started to hold special camps in residential areas. The NMC is taking the help of corporators, NGOs and community leaders to encourage high-risk contacts and persons with comorbid conditions to get the tests done.
When his attention was drawn to the BJP banner on ambulance, municipal commissioner Radhakrishnan B told TOI, “It is not acceptable. I have already sent strong directions to all field officials not to indulge or permit such things in future.”
In a few camps, BJP’s banners were placed near the sample collection centres.
NCP state vice-president Vedprakash Arya condemned NMC officials for allowing BJP banner on ambulance and permitting the party to engage in publicity at Covid-19 testing camps. “Special camps used to be organized when Tukaram Mundhe was municipal commissioner. Special camps were not held when they were required most in the last two weeks of August and first three weeks of September. How can NMC administration allow BJP leaders to do party’s publicity,” he questioned.