Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Sunday urged the Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) not to go ahead with their proposed dharna, which he said could turn into a super-spreader of the contagion.
The Chief Minister said his government had fought hard to prevent Punjab’s Covid situation from deteriorating and any event, such as the proposed 3-day dharna of the BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) in Patiala, had the potential to negate the gains made by his government.
Captain Amarinder urged the farmers’ group not to act irresponsibly and jeopardise the lives of their people amid the pandemic, especially when there is a complete ban in the state on all gatherings and any violation of the ban would be highly detrimental to the interests of Punjab and its people. Such a dharna would draw people mainly from the villages, which were in any case going through a crisis during the second wave, he pointed out.
The group’s action was also completely unwarranted considering the total support the state government had extended all these months to the agitating farmers on the issue of the Centre’s new farm laws, said Captain Amarinder. His government was the first to pass amendment laws in the state Assembly to contravene the laws, he noted.
“It is time for the farmers now to reciprocate by supporting the state government in the fight against the pandemic,” he said, adding that just as the farmers’ interests were inexorably linked with that of Punjab, so was Punjab’s interest dependent on the farmers’ support to his government in the battle against Covid.
Pointing out that Punjab has been one of the best performing states in terms of Covid management during the second wave, the CM noted how there were no widespread shortages of oxygen in hospitals, despite a shortfall in supply, and that the availability of medications and beds had been continuously ramped up to keep pace with the spiralling cases.
The only serious problem being faced by Punjab is the shortage of vaccines, which was not due to any mismanagement of the state government but that of the Centre, said Captain Amarinder, rejecting all charges of his government failing to tackle the pandemic effectively.
He also said that as a result of the concerted efforts of the government, the medical fraternity, the police, the civil administration and the village panchayats, Punjab had successfully brought the number of cases to 5421, with 201 deaths, on May 22, from a high of nearly 10,000 just about two weeks ago.
But given the gravity of the situation, there was no scope for any laxity in Covid-appropriate behaviour, and rallies or dharnas of any kind were totally unacceptable when the lives of the people are at stake, the Chief Minister asserted.