TRS MLA defies CM order on Covid
The TRS government was left red-faced when its MLA Koneru Konappa defied Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao’s directives that everyone returning from a trip abroad must mandatorily observe a 14-day home quarantine to ensure there is no possibility of such individuals spreading the coronavirus (Covid-19) infection.
Mr Konappa, who represents the Sirpur Assembly constituency, had returned along with his wife from a trip to the United States on Wednesday. After arrival at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport here, he left for
Kagaznagar town.
He then took part in a municipal council meeting and some public events instead of observing home quarantine as mandated by the state government for all persons returning from international travel.
As reported earlier, Mr Rao had warned that anyone who violates the 14day quarantine rule would face serious action from the government. It remains to be seen if Mr Rao would act against his own legislator for putting public safety at risk.
Mr Konappa also violated provisions of the Disaster Manage-ment Act, 2005, besides the state government orders of March 14, and the Government of India and National Disaster Management
guidelines also issued on March 14.
Asifabad medical officer Kumra Balu issued a notice to Mr Konappa on Friday to observe home quarantine for 14 days. Collector Sandeep Kumar Jha asked the ruling party MLA to follow the instructions of the health department.
Meanwhile, state BJP president Bandi Sanjay Kumar said that the TRS MLA’s action was a reflection of the state government’s approach to public health.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Mr Sanjay said, “on the one hand, we have KCR saying that anyone who returns from a foreign visit must selfquarantine, even if he or she has tested negative of Covid-19. On the other, we have a ruling party MLA moving carelessly among public after returning from abroad, which is highly condemnable.”
Former MP and senior Congress leader Konda Vishweshwar Reddy said, “In times of crisis, we need to behave in a responsible manner. We need to be responsible not only for ourselves but our family, friends and society at large. Public representatives need to set an example by being extra careful. Public representatives who behave in an irresponsible manner should not be tolerated, whichever a political party they may be from.”
State Congress president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the issue of coronavirus was best left to be dealt with experts. “As far as public representatives are concerned, they should behave with extra caution and responsibility when the entire world is passing through a critical situation,” he said.
It may be recalled that Mr Konappa was in the news in June last year after his brother, Koneru Krishna Rao, was declared as the prime accused by state forest department in a case of attacking an on-duty woman forest range officer Chole Anitha in Kagaznagar. Ms Anitha was leading a forest department team to plant trees as part of Haritha Haram, a high priority programme of the Chief Minister. Mr Krishna Rao was subsequently granted conditional bail.