TURA: Congress spokesperson, Zenith Sangma on Monday lambasted Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong for trying to justify the decision of the government to keep the identities of the COVID-19 patients secret and renewed his plea for making public the names of the infected persons so that the community can take adequate safeguard.
Earlier, turning down Zenith’s demand for disclosure of the identities of COVID-19 positive patients, Tynsong had taken shelter of ‘medical ethics’ and even went to the extent of saying that Zenith should consult his elder brother, Mukul Sangma, who was a doctor himself.
Speaking to media persons at a press conference held at the Congress Bhavan in Tura on Monday, Zenith referred to the most recent notification issued by the East Khasi Hills District Administration where names, households and localities of the primary contacts were mentioned and termed Tynsong’s reaction towards the demand as a ‘joke’.
Stating that the fight against the virus was not only the fight of the government but every individual was involved in it, the MLA from Rangsakona said that life and health of the citizens should be the first priority and that the people should be made aware of where the virus is.
“When we don’t know who our enemy (virus) is, how will it be possible to fight against it? It is important for us to know its presence so that we can take precautions,” he commented.
Zenith reminded that under the Epidemic Disease Act, 1897, the authorities were protected from any judicial scrutiny and went on to question as to under which provision of the law the government was curtailing the rights of citizens as well as restricting their movement.
With regard to stigma and medical ethics as pointed out by Tynsong, Zenith said that the stigma would slowly disappear once transparency is maintained, while adding that there was no question of the latter.
“There is no question of medical ethics because all the provisions of the law which directly or indirectly affects the containment of the epidemic disease is superseded by the provisions of this very act,” Zenith said.
On the claim by the Deputy Chief Minister that leader of the opposition Mukul Sangma had not raised the issue, Zenith said that the issue was raised several times by him, including on the floor of the house.
Meanwhile, in a continued political slug fest, State president of the NPP, WR Kharlukhi has described Zenith Sangma as “a confused person out of power”.
Pointing out that the government and the opposition had already had three rounds of meetings on the COVID issue, Kharlukhi said, “Mawsynram MLA HM Shangpliang attended the meeting along with Zenith Sangma and Shangpliang was in all praise for the government and Sangma is all out against the government”.
Stating that they should have spoken in the meeting if Sangma was not satisfied, Kharlukhi said that in the meeting they seem to have agreed with the government and expressed satisfaction.
