The entire nation is strictly adhering to PM Modi’s clarion call to observe ‘Janata Curfew’ today as a means to spread awareness, and also arrest the transmission of the dreaded COVID-19 novel Coronavirus. In such circumstances too, Mamata Banerjee is leaving no stone unturned to indulge in petty politics.
Very well aware of the nation observing Janta Curfew on Sunday, Mamata Didi decided to dissuade the public from doing so, by taking an official decision which asks the parents of school children to collect 2 kilograms of Rice and Potatoes each as a part of the mid-day meal scheme. For the same, teachers have been asked to be present at schools to overlook the distribution process.
A circular issued by the District Inspector of Schools, Kolkata said that “all heads of schools are requested to keep the institutes open on Saturday and Sunday”. The circular was sent to all junior, high and higher secondary schools under Kolkata district. A school education department official said similar circulars were sent to schools in other districts. “Today we procured rice. Tomorrow (Sunday) we will pick our quota of potatoes. The state government has issued a formal written order. We have to go. There is no other option,” the teacher of a junior high school told IANS.
While Mamata could have continued with the distribution process from Monday, it seems she deliberately chose Sunday in order to derail PM Modi’s call for a Janta Curfew, which is aimed at spreading awareness regarding social distancing.
Meanwhile, while Mamata tries to water down the Janta Curfew call, her own administrative capabilities have been set on fire, as a massive clash was reported in Bengal’s Dum Dum central prison. “Because of corona outbreak courts are closed and family members are not being allowed inside the prisons as a precautionary measure. The inmates want that they should be released and have resorted to violence. We are looking into the matter,” said Ujjwal Biswas, correctional home minister of West Bengal. The inmates were also demanding hand sanitizers and masks, which it seems, the administration was unable to provide, as a result of which the clashes erupted.
Mamata’s decisions do not come as a surprise, as when it comes to tackling Coronavirus, she has always had a lackadaisical attitude. In early March, Mamata had alleged that the Coronavirus panic was being spread by the government to stir attention away from the Delhi riots. “Today some people are shouting corona, corona [coronavirus] a bit too much yes it is a dreaded disease but don’t create panic some channels are hyping it to suppress the Delhi incident do report when it occurs we don’t want it to spread but do remember all those who died in Delhi, did not die of coronavirus,” she had said back then.
It must be noted that Bengal has always had a rebel like attitude when it comes to following directions issued by the Modi government. It is for this very reason that
‘Ayushman Bharat’ has not been made available to the citizens of Bengal. As such, for Mamata to defy the Janta Curfew call by PM Modi is but natural.