With COVID-19 cases rising exponentially over the last few weeks, several states in India have reallocated containment zones, enforced lockdowns and curfews and urged people to stay home to the maximum possible extent. In Telangana, as cases rise to record highs, the government is reportedly mulling a partial lockdown or additional restrictions.
But even as the state reported it's highest single-day spike of more than 10 thousand cases, Telangana BJP president Bandi Sanjay on Tuesday participated in a massive roadshow to campaign for municipal polls in Warangal. Visuals from the event show countless individuals gathering in close proximity with not much concern for the ongoing pandemic. Some of these images were later deleted by the party's official social media handles.
While the photos and videos from the rally that still remain on the BJP Telangana page seem to suggest that most attendees had been masked, the sheer volume and their close proximity to each other has alarmed many on social media. We feel compelled to mention here that countless attendees, including the campaigning politicians, sported masks that covered only their chins or at best their mouths. Others still rode atop vehicles with no covering whatsoever.
Going by reports over the last few days, the BJP is not the only party to behave in this manner. As per an update by news agency ANI, rallies, road shows and door to door campaigns were held by all major parties ahead of the Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation elections.
Needless to say, Twitter is not happy with the situation. And while the BJP official handle may have deleted some of pictures, the damage has already been done. While some Twitter user marvelled at the fact that these officials and politicians were "flaunting such stupidity", others wanted to know if this qualified as an essential service.
India on Wednesday recorded more than 3.6 lakh fresh COVID-19 cases, even as the death toll rose above the three thousand mark for the first time. As per Health Ministry data, there are nearly 30 lakh active cases in the country at present.
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