Congress, BJP spar over limiting dengue spread in Karnataka

BENGALURU: A war of words erupted between governing Congress and opposition BJP over the handling of the dengue outbreak in the state, with parties drawing comparisons to the Covid-19 crisis and exposing alleged administrative inadequacies. The debate intensified following reports of seven dengue-related deaths in the past 48 hours, prompting BJP to escalate its criticism of Congress’ management.
Members of BJP launched proactive measures, visiting hospitals and local slums, to evaluate the state’s readiness in combating the virus.They vociferously demanded the govt declare a medical emergency in the wake of a spike in cases.
R Ashoka, opposition leader, inspected Jayanagar General Hospital in Bengaluru, while CN Ashwath Narayan assessed Okalipuram slums. “The govt has failed in controlling the rapid spread of the virus. Where are the spraymen? Where is detection and testing?” asked Narayan.
BJP claimed the govt’s response has been marred by mismanagement and a lack of political will to raise awareness about dengue. Narayan claimed that despite the previous BJP govt sanctioning 51 additional primary healthcare centres, the current administration has failed to adequately staff or equip these facilities.
‘Spreading fear and panic’
Countering the accusations, health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao accused BJP of “politicising” the issue and “spreading misinformation”.
“People like R Ashoka are creating fear and panic among people over the disease,” Rao said, dismissing calls for declaring a statewide medical emergency and emphasising ongoing collaborative efforts with experts.
“I reached out to Dr CN Manjunath [BJP MP], a cardiologist, and we had a constructive discussion, but people like Ashoka are spreading fear and panic among people,” Rao said. “There is no need to declare a medical emergency as demanded by the opposition. More than the virus, I am worried BJP leaders’ lies will have a negative impact on our citizens.”
In online and social media posts too, both parties exchanged accusations over their respective handling of health emergencies. BJP criticised Congress for “ineffective” dengue management, while the governing party retaliated by highlighting BJP’s “mismanagement” of the Covid-19 pandemic.