The Congress has been clashing quite frequently with the Telangana government over the latter's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic in the state.
Mulugu MLA Seethakka has been especially vocal in her dissatisfaction with the KCR regime.
Today, again, the leader gave voice to this dissatisfaction - along with NSUI state president Balmuri Venkat, she organised a peaceful demonstration against the government's "reckless attitude" towards the pandemic, and submitted a request letter demanding the immediate inclusion of Covid-19 treatment in the state's Arogyasri healthcare scheme.
Speaking on the occasion, Venkat said, "This pandemic had caused unprecedented loss of life and public health outcomes as well as major financial losses to patients. In such a clime, the TRS government has the responsibility of protecting the people of the state. Part of this is to protect patients, already threatened by livelihood challenges, from catastrophic medical spending. It must, therefore, provide free medical care to every person affected by Covid-19. And, if not now, when will the government do this?"
(TPCC head N Uttam Kumar Reddy had also recently, after himself getting treated for Covid-19, pointed out that the current treatment costs were
wildly unaffordable for much of the state's public.)
Seethakka too demanded that the KCR government subsidise Covid-19 treatment by including it in the Arogyasri scheme immediately. She also demanded that the government take steps to provide free vaccines to the public in a door-to-door Covid-19 immunisation program, and provide free cremation facilities in the state.
Further, the MLA asked the government to provide monetary aid of Rs 1,500 to the public to alleviate the economic problems thrown up by the imposition of the
ten-day lockdown in the state.
The demonstration was well attended. State Youth Congress vice-president Rajiv Reddy, Hyderabad NSUI district president Abhijeet Yadav and many NSUI leaders were seen at the protest.
This is the second such protest organised by the MLA and the NSUI. Last month, they had launched a
fast-unto-death at Hyderabad's Indira Park to demand that the safety and health of the public be safeguarded by "the irresponsible governments" at the Centre and in the state.