Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday alleged that panic was being spread over the coronavirus to divert attention from the Delhi violence, hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi had tweeted that he would stay away from Holi festivities to prevent the spread of the virus.
“A lot of people are creating a fuss over the coronavirus. Certainly a disease is a disease. The whole world is worried. But don’t create panic. So that people forget what happened in Delhi, to divert attention from the actual matter, they are going around saying corona, corona. When it actually happens, most certainly say so. We want a medicine for this (coronavirus). We deal with a disease as a disease. We don’t want even a single person in Bengal to be affected,” Mamata said at a programme in Buniyadpur, South Dinajpur.
Modi had tweeted at 11.33am: “Experts across the world have advised to reduce mass gatherings to avoid the spread of COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus. Hence, this year I have decided not to participate in any Holi Milan programme.” Many senior BJP leaders retweeted and liked it.
Mamata’s comments drew a sharp reaction from BJP leaders who accused her of trying to politicise an issue involving public health. BJP sources in Bengal, however, said the Prime Minister’s tweet could affect the party’s Holi plans.
Several BJP leaders have begun calling off festivities. The state headquarters in Calcutta distributed facemasks with Modi’s name on them.
“These masks will help people to protect themselves from coronavirus. They will also get respite from the air pollution in the city,” BJP general secretary Pratap Banerjee said.
The masks with Modi’s name on them
The distribution of the masks, each costing around Rs 175, began around 2.30pm and in less than an hour over 1,600 pieces — with “save from corona virus infection” and “Modiji” written on them — had been given out to party workers and local people in the vicinity of the state BJP headquarters at 6 Muralidhar Sen Lane in central Calcutta.
By the time Mission Mask ended for the day, BJP president J.P. Nadda had announced that he too would stay away from Holi get-togethers.
As Holi, Ram Navami, Hanuman Jayanti and Diwali are among the most important days in the BJP’s annual roster of events, during which leaders engage with the people, the message from Delhi has caught the Bengal unit off-guard.
“I had planned a Holi Milan cultural programme on March 6. If the Prime Minister and the party president decide to stay away from such programmes, can I play Holi or take part in festivities?” asked a BJP councillor in Calcutta.
Some Bengal leaders wondered whether they should organise awareness programmes or launch a large-scale mask-distribution drive.
Amid all the flurry of activities around the coronavirus, a BJP leader referred to a WHO advisory that has suggested “rational use of medical masks to avoid unnecessary wastage of precious resources and misuse of masks”.
The advisory further states: “Use a mask only if you have respiratory symptoms (coughing or sneezing), have a suspected Covid-19 infection with mild symptoms, or are caring for someone with suspected Covid-19 infection.
“A suspected Covid-19 infection is linked to travel in areas where cases have been reported, or close contact with someone who has travelled in these areas and has become ill.”
