Government Not God, Says Mamata Banerjee As Bengal Readies For More Cases

Mamata Banerjee called for cooperation from the people, the media and political opponents. (File)

The government is not god and the government is no magician, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on a day when coronavirus numbers continued to rise in the state.

New cases jumped to 1,690 from 1,589, deaths 23, positivity rate of 5.45 per cent and the discharge rate slipped below 60 per cent to 59.29 per cent.

Mamata Banerjee called for cooperation from the people, the media and political opponents but attacked the ruling party at the Centre saying, "We thought we would get 10,000 ventilators from the government of India, we thought we would get oxygen cylinders that we would get free drugs, free PPEs. What have they given? Nothing! We are working empty handed."

Clapping her hands, she said, "Only clapping and beating drums and blowing whistles. Is that enough? I say all this with great regret but how can we go on like this for so many months. All governments have limitations, which is why people have to cooperate to fight Covid."

She referred to two incidents in Kolkata in the last 24 hours - inmates of a quarantine centre protesting delay in meals and patients refusing to leave MR Bangur hospital even after recovering - and said it is a challenging situation. People must realise that exercise restraint.

"Government is not god. The Bengal government is not a magician... But it is a government that works hard, gives free rations, money for scholarships, weddings, pensions. How much more can we do? We need some cooperation," Ms Banerjee said.

Gearing up for Covid numbers that she said were set to rise, Ms Banerjee ordered that from tomorrow, only 50 per cent of government employees need to come to work and not 70 per cent that is the current mandate. This would continue till 31 July when the current lockdown in the entire state would be reviewed depending on the Covid situation.

A large number of banks employees have reported Covid cases. In response, Ms Banerjee said banks would henceforth be shut during the weekends. She also urged the media to focus on the positives and not just report negative stories. "Please don't cause panic with reports of no bets etc," she said.