Hyderabad: BJP demands disclosure of Covid-19 tests

Hyderabad: BJP Telangana demanded that Chief Minister K Chandrasekar Rao present facts on COVID-19 as Public Health Information (PHI) is the right of every citizen.

In a statement here on Monday, BJP Telangana state chief spokesperson K Krishna Saagar Rao said during the current coronavirus pandemic it was the constitutional right of every citizen to know the facts about COVID-19 situation in the State.

However, it seems that the State government was trying to hide, manipulate and cover up the information. This might lead to serious implications on the public and the public accountability of a democratically elected government.

He wondered as to what the TRS government was trying to hide by downplaying and manipulating the facts regarding COVID-19 disease and coronavirus spread in the state of Telangana.

The BJP leader demanded that his party wants clarity on the issue from the chief minister. Also, why testing data was not being released since April 19 in daily health bulletins?

"While all other states in India are declaring the number of tests per day in the ICMR prescribed format to keep public informed, TRS government is acting quite indifferently during this serious public health crisis," he added.

He said Minister KTR's frivolous statement like 'will there be medals for more testing?' and CM KCR downplaying any question on testing numbers in press conferences clearly show a pattern of wilful neglect by TRS government.

Rao said 'testing' is fundamental to control the spread of this contagion. Without massive testing, the state government was only shooting in the dark, with no idea of its spread in the community.