Dimapur, June 14 (EMN): Nagaland unit of the Janata Dal (United) has expressed serious concern with the state of affairs in the management of Covid-19 by the state government. It has particularly pointed out to the addendum issued on June 7 to the revised standard operating procedures (SOP) for returnees dated June 1.
JD (U) Nagaland’s statement through its publicity wing stated that “clause 3” of the said addendum, which is an exception only to the state of Nagaland in comparison with the rest of the world, has ‘totally undermined the credibility of the medical fraternity of state.’
According to Clause-3, “Any returnee in institutional quarantine, who is to be released for home quarantine, will be first given clearance by the medical team at the quarantine centre as per the protocol. Thereafter, it will be considered by the district task force lead by the deputy commissioner and with recommendations will be sent to the chief secretary for obtaining his concurrence. Only after receiving the concurrence of the chief secretary, the deputy commissioner will issue the approval letter for releasing the returnee for undergoing home quarantine.”
“The seizure of the power to release medically quarantined people from the hands of medical specialists by the state political power and handing it into the hands of the state executive machineries, who does not have any medical background and knowledge, is the strangest action which is not expected to happen even in time of emergency,” the statement read. It added that even the ‘most autocratic and dictatorial regime would not have thought of imposing such power for fear of its consequences.’
While denouncing “clause 3” of the addendum, JD (U) Nagaland stated that the hard earned medical degrees and the amount of money spent by the state government and individuals on acquiring the degrees have now been ‘thrown into the winds.’
In this regard, JD (U) Nagaland wondered whether the state government has constituted a “super specialists team” of outsiders in the office of the chief secretary to advise him on the recommendation of the district task force for the release of the quarantined people. If not, JD (U) felt that the state team of doctors and nurses should resign en masse as ‘they do not matter anymore.’
JD (U) Nagaland has also termed “clause 3” as an act of cruelty and victimisation of the quarantined people, who were compelled to undergo physical, mental and financial hardships for an uncertain number of days within the four walls, without any natural sunlight or air. Also describing “clause 3” as draconian in its character, JD (U) Nagaland stated that it has caused anxiety not only for the returnees at the quarantine centres but also on the parents and near and dear ones at home.
JD (U) also wondered whether the imposition of “clause 3” was actually meant to fulfil the claim of the state government that Nagaland has the strictest rules of lockdown in the country.
Meanwhile, JD (U) Nagaland has appreciated the wisdom and discerning action of the civil society of Dimapur and fully supported the resolutions adopted during the meeting between the government empowered group for Dimapur district and the civil societyof Dimapur on June 12 at Hotel Saramati.
“The government of the day must understand that the power given by the people should be exercised for the convenience of the people and not for causing hardship and miseries to the people,” JD (U) Nagaland added.
In light of the above statement, the party genuinely felt that the absurdity of “clause 3” must be challenged either by the society itself or in the courtroom so that precedence of such nature do not get repeated in times to come. If need be, it stated that JD (U) is willing to shoulder the financial responsibility of taking up the cause of the quarantined people in the court of law.
While demanding justice to the affected victims, JD (U) Nagaland stated that they should be ‘duly compensated for the mental, physical and material damage that have already caused and expected to cause as a result of the imposition of the said clause 3.’