Prestone slams Cong for playing “petty politics” over COVID-19 pandemic

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJuly 21, 2020

Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong on Tuesday hit back at the opposition Congress for accusing the state government of ‘mishandling’ the COVID-19 situation in the state.

“The allegation made by them (opposition) is just for the sake of playing petty politics,” Tynsong told reporters after a daily review meeting.

He said a joint meeting of the ruling and opposition members was recently convened by the Assembly Speaker to discuss the prevailing situation in the state.

A detailed presentation was also given during the meeting on how the government manages and decides the system in place throughout the fight against the pandemic, he added.

On the demand to disclose the names of positive patients, the deputy chief minister however maintained that it is not advisable as per medical ethics and said, “They have demanded that the names should be made public but  when we talked about medical ethics universally, secrecy is important.”  

Tynsong also suggested the Congress spokesman and MLA from Rangsakona Zenith Sangma to first consult with his brother and Leader of Opposition Mukul Sangma, who is a physician himself, on this particular aspect.

“He (Zenith) should have had consultation with his brother. Mukul has never asked this question because (he knows) that doctors have to maintain secrecy (of their patients),” he said.

Zenith has accused the state government of failing to handle the COVID-19 pandemic and further denying that there is no community spread in the state.

The opposition spokesman had also alleged the government of being insensitive towards the victims affected by the flash flood in the plain belt areas of West Garo Hills.

When asked, Tynsong admitted that the flood situation in Garo Hills is very grim. He informed that full authority has been given to all the respective deputy commissioners to take a call on the matter and that the report with regards to the damages caused by the flood is being awaited.