The CPI-M has demanded that the government take responsibility of children who have been orphaned after losing their parents in Covid-19.
“Both the Centre and the state government have to take the responsibility of those orphaned children. The state government has not taken any step on this issue. Had it done so there would have been widespread campaigning and that is not visible. We want the state government to take responsibility. The figure of such children are available with the government, but the Covid-19 related information is not clear. The number is several, and we want the exact number from the government,” said veteran CPIM leader Sujan Chakraborty.
Drawing parallels with the Kerala government, Mr Chakraborty said Kerala government had taken steps for the welfare of such children. “Apart from the initial lump sum for each child orphaned by the pandemic, the Kerala government has already made financial arrangements for them for every month until they reach the age of 18. If the Kerala government can, why not we?” he added.
Mr Chakraborty and senior advocate and CPI-M Rajya Sabha MP Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya attended a programme to highlight the issue here today. The programme was organised by Red Volunteers, who have been working tirelessly to stand with people through the pandemic.
The Supreme Court has ordered that all states and Union Territories should ensure the safety, security and uninterrupted studies of children orphaned on account of the Covid-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, Mr Bhattacharya slammed the state government for not activating the process of civic body elections that are due for more than a year across the state.
“The Trinamul Congress-led state government is not taking any steps to hold the pending civic body polls in the state, but they are keener on the Assembly by-polls. They are not interested in ensuring people’s democratic rights through elections. It is illegal the way the party men have been appointed as board of administrators. We will move the court soon,” he said.