By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: The Biju Janata Dal Rajya Sabha MP and Spokesperson Dr Sasmit Patra on Tuesday hit out at BJP and said that the Government of India and the ICMR as the national nodal scientific agency for monitoring COVID has suggested COVID testing of Symptomatic persons only.
Dr. Patra said Accordingly, Odisha is doing COVID testing for symptomatic persons as per ICMR guidelines because of which Odisha’s situation is under control. Odisha has also been doing random testing as per ICMR guidelines, he said. “Can the BJP Spokesperson say in which BJP run state the Temporary Medical Centers have been established right upto the Panchayat level?” questioned Patra further adding that no state has done that except Odisha.
The BJD Spokesperson said: “As per Odisha Hon’ble CM’s directions, the COVID testing capacity has been increased to 15,000 per day but Odisha is undertaking the testing as per ICMR and Government of India guidelines. The same testing process is also being followed by BJP and Congress ruled states across India.”
The BJP should first read and learn about their own party run Centre’s COVID testing guidelines and follow it rather than politicizing such a sensitive issue, suggested Dr Patra.
“BJP should not do petty politics when we are in the midst of COVID war. Odisha is in better situation regarding COVID because of our strategy of Temporary Medical Centers which none of the states have done, he said.
