Anil Vij blames Congress for Art 370 during swine flu debate in House

Chandigarh: A debate in Haryana assembly on swine flu spread in the state Wednesday took a curious turn with Health Minister Anil Vij blaming Congress for the Kashmir problems and Articles 370 and 35-A. Vij blamed the Congress while rebutting its allegations that the state government had been suppressing death figures due to the epidemic and doing little to prevent its spread.

With the Congress members repeatedly interrupting his reply to a Calling Attention Motion, Vij pointed towards them and said, "I have already given a detailed reply on what all measures we have taken." "But, I cannot help anyone for his ignorance. I want to say that swine flu is not malaria or dengue that we can take preventive measures like spraying or fumigation. The only solution is to avoid coming into contact with an infected person, besides other preventive measures, he said. Apparently at his wits' end amid the recurrent supplementaries by the members over the issue, he alleged the Congress members were spreading lies by claiming that health department was hiding death figures due to the flu.

"Congress is a factory of lies. This party was responsible for Kashmir problem, for Article 370 and Article 35-A. The country has to bear the brunt of their follies..,¿ Vij blurted. Replying to the debate earlier, Vij had informed the House that 14 swine flu deaths were reported while 813 cases were found to be positive during the past one year. He had also elaborated earlier how swine flu spreads and the preventive measures that needed to be taken. The Health Department was fully alert and had taken all necessary steps to control and prevent the epidemic, Vij had sought to assure the House.

The issue of swine flu spread had been raised by the Karan Singh Dalal of the Congress and some other party MLAs including Jai Tirath, Geeta Bhukkal and R S Kadian. The opposition members had sought the government's statement in the House on the issue, while alleging that the State's Health Department was 'hiding the total number of deaths reported due to H1N1'. Dalal and Bhukkal said the matter was very serious and the government must tell what steps had been taken to contain spread of the disease.

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