VASCO
NCP State President Jose Philip D'Souza on Friday said that the rising covid cases in the state were due to the recent municipal elections. D'Souza also said that the lockdown should be more stringent and extended for another two weeks .
"We have seen the Covid graph rise in recent times and these are cases that are related to recently held municipal elections. As much as I know, some elected councillors, aspirant candidates and many supporters of candidates have tested positive in Mormugao area. The same is the case with the other 5 locations of Margao, Mapusa , Quepem and Sanguem where cases have risen considerably.
"The BJP should have kept the elections process on hold but despite several requests,they went ahead and we are now seeing so many cases of Covid. If we see the active cases on April 23rd (Voting Day) the cases have increased by a minimun of 56 per cent and maximum by 226 per cent in all these 5 locations and these cases seem to be aftermath of the civic polls," said D'souza. D'souza said that his wife was also a contestant in the elections.
"During the elections, we have seen candidates move into houses with a gang of supporters for canvassing and also there were large rallies and even corner meetings. I may have also been there during canvassing but my opinion is had there been no elections or had the elections been kept on hold, such a situation would never arise. The municipal elections have proved to be a super spreader of Covid in Goa," said D'souza.
Dsouza said that with positivity of around 51 per cent, the only option to cut the spread was a stringent extended lockdown
"We have a lockdown but grocery stores are open and people are still moving out. The police are also doing their jobs and fining people without a mask but at the end of it the government has no beds and proper oxygen supply to control the scenario. I want to appeal to the authorities and the CM Pramod Sawant to extend the lockdown by two weeks and make it more stringent with everything closed except pharmacies and petrol pumps. If we can get a person to stay at home for 15 days, the person if positive and not knowing about it can cure himself through home quarantine and secondly the person will not be able to move out and spread it to others," said D'Souza.
