Tourism Minister Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao on Monday came down heavily on TDP leaders accusing them of shedding crocodile tears for the migrant labourers and other poorer sections suffering during lockdown and trying to mislead the public with false allegations against the State government over handling of situation arising out of COVID-19 pandemic.
Addressing a press conference along with YSRCP MLAs A. Adeep Raj and T. Nagi Reddy, city president Vamsi Krishna Srinivas, VMRDA Chairman Dronamraju Srinivas and former MLA Malla Vijaya Prasad here, he said they should remember that nobody dreamt of the virus turning into a pandemic and creating havoc world-over.
Mr. Srinivasa Rao said the lockdown was being implemented strictly to contain the spread of the virus and refuted the TDP charge that the number of positive cases was downplayed by not conducting tests on people showing symptoms. He said they had not only improved the bed strength for quarantine and isolation of people but also taken up distribution of ration and other essential commodities to the migrant labour and others not having ration cards on behalf of the party.
On the allegations that party national general secretary V. Vijaya Sai Reddy was bringing pressure on various organisations to donate to Pragathi Bharat Foundation formed by a group of entrepreneurs, the Minister said there was no truth in the allegation. He said Mr. Reddy was rendering yeoman service in mobilising resources to provide succour to all those who lost their livelihood during the lockdown. He said the TDP leaders should refrain from trying to gain mileage by politicising everything and asked them to render their support in instilling confidence in the people to face the challenge thrown by COVID-19 pandemic instead of creating panic among them.
