RJD demands high-level probe into irregularities in Bihar's COVID-19 testing
What's the story
Lalu Prasad's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) demanded a high-level inquiry on Friday into the irregularities in COVID-19 testing in Bihar, after reports suggested glaring gaps between what is on paper and on the ground.
Raising the issue through a Zero-Hour mention in the Rajya Sabha, RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha said, "Reports in a national daily have suggested fudging and manipulation of testing data."
Information
Jha pointed out to sudden jump in number of tests
"The number of tests to detect COVID-19 infection jumped from 10,000 to one lakh in seven days and to two lakhs in a fortnight," Jha said. Names of people registered as being tested either do not exist or contact numbers and other details are false.
Inquiry
There is no match of name and mobile numbers: Jha
"There is no match of name and mobile numbers... 10 times, 0 (zero) has been given as the contact number. No contact-tracing could be established," Jha said.
"A high-level inquiry should immediately be constituted to look into the matter," he demanded.
The RJD leader suggested that valid government identification proofs such as Aadhaar or PAN card should be relied upon while conducting such tests.
Issue
The issue is important: Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu
Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu too remarked that this was a matter for inquiry. "The issue is important," he said.
Other issues raised in the House included Rajamani Patel of Congress demanding Buddhist stupas at Deorkothar in Rewa district of Madhya Pradesh be declared an archaeological site of national importance.
B Lingaiah Yadav of Telangana Rashtra Samithi raised the issue of industrial corridor in Telangana.
Information
Demands put forward by other party members
Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Maharaja Sanajaoba Leishemba wanted the Manipuri script on Indian currency notes. Muzibulla Khan of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) pitched for the constitution of a flying squad to verify the construction of toilets under the Swachh Bharat Mission.
Parties
Krishna River Management Board should stay in Vijayawada: TDP MP
Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) wanted the Krishna River Management Board to be kept in Vijayawada and not be shifted to Visakhapatnam.
Further, Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) opposed the clubbing of nine institutes for the differently-abled into four clusters.
Congress
Matter of education grants for SC students also raised
Shamsher Singh Dullo of the Congress raised the issue of the Centre not releasing full share of education grants for SC students to states like Punjab.
Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Thaawarchand Gehlot countered this, saying utilization certificates were not given by the state and there were other irregularities.
"Any due amount will be released if the utilization certificates are given," he added.