Mamata threatens action against CPI(M) mouthpiece for ‘inflated’ death numbers

‘Ganashakti’ reported that 30 people had lost their lives due to the infection

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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerje has threatened to take action against any attempt to show high COVID-19 casualty in the state.

Banerjee, without naming CPI(M) mouthpiece Ganashakti, on Wednesday said, "Some people are taking the toll of COVID-19 in Bengal to 30. I have the right to take criminal action against them as per the law."

The Ganashakti on Wednesday reported that about 30 people had died in West Bengal because of COVID-19 while the state government maintains that the death toll is seven.

The daily also claimed that while the state government said the number of COVID-19 positive cases is 120, the central government figure is 190. According to the paper’s own investigation in various government hospitals, the total number of infected persons is 215. It also mentioned that the father of an actor-turned-MP of the ruling Trinamool Congress has been admitted to a private hospital after he tested positive.

Though the chief minister questioned the sources of the news, she didn’t confirm whether she would take any action against the newspaper.

"She will not take action, because she knows that she has done a lot of mistakes by taking this method. I have never heard that the death of any patient would be decided by an expert doctor and not by his or her treating doctor," said a senior CPI(M) leader in the state.

Surya Kanta Mishra, politburo member of the CPI(M), has said in a message that the Banerjee government is not only hiding the death figure, but also trying to show reduced number of positive cases.

Mishra, the former health minister and a chest specialist, said: "This is because the test rate in Bengal is the lowest in India. The West Bengal government is not conducting tests despite being suggested by experts."

Meanwhile, the textile department has asked Banerjee to open some of the jute mills in the state to address the jute bag demand. But the chief minister said she cannot take a step-motherly attitude.

Banerjee defended her decision to empower a medical committee to declare the death of any patient suspected to be of COVID-19. According to sources, deaths of patients with co-morbidity (having heart ailment, high blood pressure, high dibetes, COPD or kidney failure) are being referred as deaths due to other reasons not primarily because of COVID-19, even if they test positive. The committee screens every health report of the deceased and ascertains the reasons of the death.

The Raj Bhavan sources said that Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has sought a detailed report from the chief secretary regarding this.

Banerjee said she had told Prime Minister Narendra Modi in front of all the chief ministers regarding the procedure being followed in West Bengal. That means the prime minister is aware of the yardstick being applied in West Bengal, she said.

The issue is likely to be snowballed into a political storm in the state in the coming days.