Kokrajhar (Assam) , Sept 19 : How is it possible to hold any elections in midst of the Covid pandemic ?
Dissatisfied with the political leaders and general public in Bodoland for organizing political meetings and rallies without any Covid protocol and for not maintaining social distance and not using masks ,Assam Health Minister has finally requested the State Election Commission to further postpone the Bodoland Territorial Elections (BTC) in view of the prevailing Covid situation in the the state .
The Health Minister was quite vocal about the way things were handled in the BTC and went to the extent of criticizing his own party leaders for being irresponsible during the pandemic .
Last week he also took a dig at the DCs as how they allowed such meetings and rallies to held in the Bodoland region without following any norms .
Today ,The health department put a formal request to the state election commission to defer the BTC polls.
“We have written to the election commission and the chief secretary to postpone the elections and withdraw the model code of conduct,” the health minister HB Sarma said .
He said if elections are allowed to be held the Covid -19 virus will not only spread in Bodoland but also in the adjoining districts in the state.
The minister said that if the Covid-19 situation further deteriorates due to the elections, the health department will not be able to handle the pandemic.
Sarma said hospitals are already facing oxygen shortage.
On Friday his own junior minister , Pijush Hazarika was seen addressing a huge public rally in Baksa defying the Covid protocols .
In the rally huge crowd was seen sitting together without masks and not maintaining social distance .