Health Minister Bhanubhakta Dhakal, who recently claimed that those who don't see how wonderfully the government has fought the COVID-19 pandemic suffer from cataract, has now wished that those who have lost intelligence and criticize the government mend their ways.
"I want to wish on this day of Krishna Ashtami (the birthday of Lord Krishna) that those who have lost intelligence also gain wisdom to fight this pandemic whether they are those in my home or persons staying in my neighborhood," Minister Dhakal said addressing the 61st anniversary of the Paropakar Maternity and Women's Hospital in Thapathali on Tuesday. "The act of putting down the fighters who are fighting in the campaign by criticizing the government cannot contribute to nation building and alleviate the pandemic."
He took a dig at the CPN leaders demanding resignation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli pointing that the battle for power can be fought again if spared by the pandemic and urged the leaders to help the government.
"This is not the last battle for power. The people have given a five-year mandate. Nothing will be lost if that game is started only after the end of mandate," he added. "I want to urge my friends who are planning for instability chanting slogans of stability that the people would be watching if we don't practice what we preach. We all are being examined by the people. We can easily resolve this fight if we can work considering that we should pass in the view of the people."
He slammed the critics saying they even created songs to criticize the government and claimed that the government has answered them with work. "The songs keep on changing. They used to say they will resign if there is no PPE (personal protective equipment). They then started the song of PCR after seeing there is no scarcity of PPE. Songs of medicines and ventilators will arrive now. The Nepal Government has taken the responsibility of the safety of people's health with accountability in practice instead of addressing the tune of those songs through rhetoric," he ranted.
He claimed that COVID-19 is still under control in Nepal despite it spreading in the community and boasted that the works for controlling infection in Nepal have been more effective in comparison to other countries.