Don’t hide seriousness of pandemic: BJP MPs from Bengal tell Mamata Banerjee

New Delhi, Apr 26: The BJP accused the TMC government in West Bengal of "hiding" the seriousness of the coronavirus crisis in the state by "fudging" figures and alleged that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee violated the lockdown norms routinely.

At a press interaction organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) through a video-conference, its MPs from West Bengal, including Union minister Debasree Chaudhuri, said they were confined to their homes in the state while Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders and workers were allowed to move around.

Chaudhuri and another MP, Sukanta Majumdar, alleged that they were served with quarantine notices by the local administration so that they could not step outside to provide ration and other relief material to the masses.

With the Assembly polls in the state due next year, the BJP has turned up the heat on the TMC government over its alleged poor handling of the COVID-19 crisis and the state's ruling party has, in turn, accused its rival, which is in power at the Centre, of trying to defame it.

The BJP leaders alleged that the West Bengal government is "fudging" the coronavirus infection figures.

Chaudhari noted that the state government revised its figures on Friday due to pressure from a central team to come clean.

There is a huge difference between the reality and what the state government is saying, she said.

BJP MLA Sabyasachi Dutta alleged that dead bodies are being cremated secretly in the state.

He also claimed that Banerjee is moving around in a huge carcade in violation of the lockdown norms.

MPs John Barla and Jayanta Kumar Roy said BJP functionaries were stopped from carrying out relief work.

Another party MP, Arjun Singh, lashed out at the TMC, saying its workers have been selling the free ration provided by the Centre to people.