West Bengal LoP Suvendu Adhikari accuses State of ‘suppressing' fresh Covid data
Leader of Opposition of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Suvendu Adhikari on Friday accused the West Bengal government of keeping the State's Covid bulletin 'defunct' in a bid to 'suppress' the data on fresh Covid-positive cases in West Bengal.
'The State health department's Covid portal has been kept non-functioning to ensure the real number of Covid-positive cases does not get recorded there. The real Covid data is being suppressed in the same way that figures of dengue cases were suppressed,' Mr Adhikari said.
Notably, official Covid bulletins have not been released on the State Health Department website since January 28, 2023. The bulletins, which were being uploaded almost daily since February 2020, carried facts and figures with respect to active Covid cases, fatalities, and recoveries in the State.
The lack of updated data on fresh Covid cases on the West Bengal Health Department website assumes significance in the wake of a developing Covid surge in the country, where several positive cases are being recorded daily across States. A total of 55 people have died from Covid-related causes this year, according to the Covid dashboard operated by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
In the Union Health Ministry's Covid dashboard, West Bengal recorded the third-highest increase in Covid-positive cases (58) among the States between June 5 and June 6, accounting for a total of 596 active cases in the State.
Meanwhile, 91 people were cured and discharged on June 6, amounting to a total of 218 cured Covid cases so far this year.
So far, one person has died from Covid-related causes in West Bengal this year, according to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare data.
On Friday, LoP Mr Adhikari also claimed to have accessed the State's 'accurate' district-wise Covid data.
'In Malda, for example, if 10 people are being tested for Covid, nine are being found to be positive,' he added.
He further alleged that similar 'data suppression' was seen during the dengue wave.
'Doctors were scared of writing dengue as a diagnosis, in fear of transfer or torture. Now, the cases cannot be suppressed, so the government has stopped updating the data on the portal,' Mr Adhikari said.
On being asked the source of the data he cited, the LoP said that the West Bengal administration does not just comprise 'Mamata Banerjee's people' but also supporters of the saffron party.
Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh opposed Mr Adhikari's accusations, saying that the State government is monitoring the situation and taking necessary steps.
'People have been told to stay alert. The State is making necessary system-based arrangements. However, the BJP has a habit of using fearmongering as a political tool. They should focus on the Covid situation in saffron-ruled States. The situation is in control in West Bengal,' Mr Ghosh said.
Rally for 'Nari Samman'
On Friday, Mr Adhikari also announced that he will lead a 'Nari Samman Yatra' (rally for women's honour) on June 9 in Bolpur in West Bengal's Birbhum district.
Recently, Trinamool Congress leader Anubrata Mondal was accused of verbally abusing and threatening the Officer-in-Charge of Bolpur police station and his female family members after the alleged audio of a phone call between Mr Mondal and the police officer went viral.
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