BJP MPs in West Bengal to sit on strike against state government's COVID-19 lockdown rules

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party's MPs from West Bengal will sit on strike at their homes on Sunday against the coronavirus COVID-19 lockdown rules by the West Bengal government.

The West Bengal BJP MPs allege the state government of not doing enough coronavirus tests and of hiding the actual COVID-19 figures.

The Union Minister Babul Supriyo will also sit on a strike at his house in Delhi from 11 am on Sunday, some other MPs might also be present with him.

The West Bengal COVID-19 crisis has already become complicated after the blame game began between the Inter-ministerial central team (IMCT) and the state government.

Earlier on Saturday, the Inter-ministerial central team (IMCT) wrote another letter to the West Bengal chief secretary alleging lack of cooperation from the state government and inadequate security provided during their visits to cities among other issues. The central team also expressed its concern over the Dumurjula quarantine centre in the state. 

In a letter to Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha, the inter-ministerial central team (IMCT) led by senior bureaucrat Apurba Chandra, said that the West Bengal government cannot waste their time accompanying the IMCT for the field visit and claimed that "it was in complete violation to the Ministry of Home Affairs letter."

The team said it has been in Kolkata since April 20 and has written four letters but none have been answered by the government.

Derek O'Brien , the Trinamool Congress (TMC) Parliamentary Party leader in Rajya Sabha and party spokesperson also slammed the IMCT, alleging that the team's visit to the state served no purpose.

Derek took to his official Twitter account and wrote that the team visited districts with no hotspots and asked for a committee already in place. He further accused the team of spreading the political virus, shamelessly and blatantly. He further described the ICMT as India’s Most Callous Team and I Must Cause Trouble (in Bengal).

According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the total number of positive COVID-19 cases in West Bengal has surged to 571 by Saturday evening. Till now, 103 people have either been cured or discharged, while 18 people have succumbed to the fatal virus.