Shiv Sena attacks Centre for buying low quality and faulty coronavirus COVID-19 testing kits from China

The Saamana editorial said that the Centre has made it clear that the states will buy medical kits, relief materials from it, but the first consignment of 20 lakh rapid testing kits from China is faulty and of no use.

Maharashtra ruling party said in its mouthpiece that US President Donald Trump calls the coronavirus as ‘Chinese Virus’ but India still chose to trust China over testing kits. 

“As per the Centre’s policy, the states should rely on the Centre for materials needed in the war against the Coronavirus… but how will this war be won, since the Chinese materials are of low quality and faulty? The first batch of rapid testing kits ordered by the Modi government to China turned out to be useless. When the Chinese goods finally went to the wreckage, the Center had to inform the states to use the kits made by the National Institute of Virology in Pune instead of the current bogus kits!” the editorial said.

It continued by saying, “It’s no coincidence that Trump is calling it the ‘China virus’. Because of China, the world has plunged into a crisis. Nobel laureate scientists claim that the Coronavirus, which spread from China to the rest of the world, is man-made. There is no certainty as to what China will do next. Despite this, nations like India are taking large quantities of rapid test kits of the COVID-19 from China. And in a way, we are working to strengthen China’s economy. That is why it is time for us to dispose of millions of rapid test kits purchased from China.” 

Lashing out at China, the Saamana editorial said that Maharashtra has received 75,000 Chinese rapid test kits from the Center. Rapid tests started in corona hot spots like Dharavi, but the Mumbai Municipal Corporation administration asked them to stop the rapid tests immediately. Because Chinese goods were scrapped. Not only in Maharashtra but all over the country, complaints about rapid test kits started coming.’’

“All this confusion is raising concerns about Corona. It is a confusion that shows how serious we are in this battle and how there is no unanimity in the decision. It is shocking that China, which cannot be trusted, and which has plunged the world into an epidemic, must join hands to fight the same virus,” it said.

Expressing concerns over the situation in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena had earlier said in Saamana that there is an “emergency-like situation” in Mumbai and Pune amid the rising number of coronavirus COVID-19 cases across the state.

In an editorial published earlier, the party said that the war against coronavirus cannot be won by clapping, clanging of plates or lighting of lamps. 

People “misconstrued” Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal, the Saamana editorial said, adding that PM Modi should clearly spell out what it expected from citizens and those not obeying orders should be punished.

Pm Modi had sometimes back appealed to people to defeat the coronavirus by switching off lights in their homes for nine minutes at 9 pm on Sunday amid the nationwide lockdown.