Kerela's COVID regulations tweaked to facilitate CPI (M) district conventions, says state opposition leader

Kochi (Kerala) [India], January 21 (ANI): Opposition Leader in Kerala assembly VD Satheesan on Friday slammed the state government over recent changes in COVID-19 regulations, alleging that the rules have been tweaked only to facilitate the ruling party Communist Party of India (Marxist) district conventions.
"Kerala government has manipulated the criteria for restrictions with regard to the COVID-19. Earlier the criterion for such restrictions was based on Total Positivity Rate (TPR) but now it has been changed to number of patients hospitalized. This is done only because the government wants to conduct the district conferences of CPI(M)" said Satheesan.
"Today, they are going to start district conferences in Thrissur and Kasargode districts. These two districts are excluded from the restricted areas only because they want to conduct party conferences there," he added.
The Congress leader alleged that many CPI(M) leaders who participated in conference that was held in state capital Thiruvananthapuram earlier this month, where many people tested COVID-19 positive, are not quarantining themselves.
"CPI(M) leaders participated in the district conference of Thiruvananthapuram. Hundreds of people who participated in the meeting have tested COVID positive. Even then these leaders are not ready to go for quarantine. They are still participating in district conferences of other districts," Satheesan said.
"They have manipulated the criteria for restrictions of COVID for the sake of these district conferences. They are very adamant about organizing these conferences which will be participated by 500 to 1000 people. That will further lead to the spreading of Coronavirus," he said.
Satheesan also slammed educational institutions for conducting examinations amid the rising cases of COVID-19.
"Various universities are conducting exams right now. Between 30 to 40 per cent of students are COVID positive. Either they are in the hospital or taking rest in their homes. Even then, universities are adamant abot conducting the exams," he said.
Meanwhile, Kerala recorded the highest single-day spike with 46,387 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, stated the State Health Department on Thursday.
The total active cases in the state are 1,99,041, the heath bulletin said.
While as many as 1,337 people have been hospitalized due to COVID-19, a total of 15,388 people recovered in the last 24 hours.
As per the Kerala Health Department, 32 succumbed to COVID in the last 24 hours taking the cumulative death toll to 51,501. As per the central government guidelines, 309 more deaths were added to the toll. (ANI)