Bhubaneswar: Khandapada legislator Soumya Ranjan Patnaik on Tuesday sought a reply from the Odisha government regarding its claim that the state had been successful in managing the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a question in the Odisha Assembly, the BJD MLA said the state government should clearly spell out whether shutdown, lockdown or closure of schools helped in arresting the rising cases and transmission of the infection. He also sought an answer to fewer infections and higher recovery in the state.
He also questioned the rationale behind keeping temples and schools closed and the ban on Jatra and cultural programmes while people were allowed to shop and visit markets and demanded that these be opened at the earliest.
Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati and Opposition Chief Whip Mohan Majhi had also urged the government to reopen all temples, including Jagannath Temple in Puri, within 24 hours.
