Narayanasamy slams Puducherry govt over low COVID testing

Former Puducherry chief minister V Narayanasamy on Sunday hit out at the Union territory government for conducting low number of tests to identify COVID-19 cases.

"If the tests are conducted on a wider scale, the actual prevalence of the pandemic could become more clearer," the Congress leader said in a virtual press conference, adding that the Puducherry government was playing down the facts.

He also took exception to the move by the Centre and Puducherry government to privatise distribution of electricity in the UT. "The Puducherry government should resist the Centre's move instead of playing second fiddle to the plan of privatisation of distribution of electricity," Narayanasamy added.

Chief Minister N Rangasamy should write to the Prime Minister, Home Ministry and Power Ministry to oppose the privatisation plan as this approach would prove to be detrimental to the common people, farmers, and the poor.

Commenting on the New York Times report regarding Pegasus spyware, he said the newspaper had claimed that the Indian government had bought the software as part of a deal with Israel.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had denied any such purchase by the government, he said, adding that Modi should tender his resignation for misleading the nation over the issue.