Nagaland
A file Photo of NPF Central HQ, Kohima, (Photo Courtesy - npfweb.org)
Kohima, April 16 (MExN): The Naga People’s Front (NPF) today stated said that it was ‘startled’ by the reaction of state government to recent criticism from various quarters and construing as a ‘personal attack.’
The party maintained that the government allegedly resort to such reaction via its “mouthpiece” the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP).
“They must first know that people were dissatisfied and protested not anything but their callous like attitude, Chill out people, we are handling it,’ the NPF through its Press Bureau responded to a rejoinder form NDPP.
While everyone is concerned with the fear of citizens vulnerable to COVID-19, the NDPP is accusing the Opposition party of “politicizing the pandemic while singing all praises for the government no matter what shortcoming the Government have,” it said.
The NPF further maintained that, although being in opposition and not consulted by the Government, the party has been extending support and cooperation to the cause as well as trying to help the needy.
And any failure “in tackling the pandemic,” the present Government will be accountable, it added.
Failures of CM, H&FW minister
The party further stated that the Nagaland Governor’s stepping in to “take control of the present situation itself has proven without any reasonable doubt the PDA Government is unable to tackle the situation.”
The Chief Minister and the Health and Family Welfare (H&FW)Minister should have been in the picture and played major role in such crisis as “public health and sanitation; hospitals and dispensaries is a State Subject,” NPF asserted.
Other state government like Assam is providing all necessary requirements and even importing some medical kits from outside the country without depending on the Centre, but the Nagaland Government, while receiving huge relief fund specifically for COVID-19, is “miserably failing,” it reiterated.
As tacking the crisis within the state list, it is the duty of the state Government to provide good health care to each citizen even without the assistance of the Central Government, it added.
Taking these ‘failures’ into account, the NPF reiterated its contentions that the Chief Minister should “gracefully pave way for an alternative arrangement if he feels that he is unable to tackle the situation” and the Health and Family Minister must step down on “moral ground” as his failure to tackle the situation as the Minister in-charge.
Questions ‘Gag’ advisory and other actions
Meanwhile, the NPF said that the party was “again made to understand that there had been complaints popping up from nurses and emergency ambulance drivers engaged for COVID-19 duty, until matters were hushed-up or gag order issued.”
Citing media reports about nursing personnel’s appeal for PPE has been “a small matter and it has been resolved,” it wondered why it could be so when “it is a matter of life and death for nurses and every other frontline workers.”
“Is ‘gag order’ a right act in a democratic form of society where grievances are not suppressed? NPF questioned. It further wanted to know how the state government responded to the protest of “emergency ambulance drivers at City Tower that went viral yesterday.”
The NPF also expressed its displeasure to learn that the salary of various categories of officers and staff under the establishment of CMO Dimapur has been deducted for Office Welfare Fund Maintenance. “One wonders whether such deduction of salary is wise to do in such trying time when health workers are risking their lives fighting against the virus,” it added.
In this connection, the party maintained that the government must accept the fact that “continued remonstrations surfacing every now and then from its own healthcare personnel is a sheer manifestation of the government not doing enough,” to tackle the crisis.
NFP’s four specific demands related to COVID-19
• A Quality Laboratory should be immediately installed, certified and maintain standard operating procedures. There has to be trained technicians specialized for the sophisticated COVID-19 Test to avoid confusion. The state labs if installed should properly coordinate with reputed national institute for confirmatory test.
• Ensure sufficient supply of certified PPE kits to every part of the state specifically for fighting against the COVID-19 and ensure availability of all kinds of medicines in all over the state
• Zion Hospital should not be kept under infinite lockdown. Sanitise it and declare as Safe Zone within 24 hours and let the needy people avail medical aid from the Hospital.
• The state government must ensure the availability of essential commodities especially in far-flung villages and check the price rise of the essential commodities.
