COVID-19: Rapid testing kits meant for Tamil Nadu sent to USA, alleges CPI(M)

The CPI(M) on Monday alleged that the rapid COVID-19 testing kits bound for Tamil Nadu were diverted to the USA by the Indian government.

In a statement, the party came down hard on the Centre over the supply of hydroxychloroquine to the Donald Trump administration and said "domestic apologists" close to the government have been justifying the "meek submission to blackmail" by the US President for easing the export of the anti-malarial drug.

"It has now come to light that there is a delay in receiving rapid test kits for coronavirus ordered from China since the consignment meant for India was diverted to the US," it said.

"India is not the sole victim of such early colonial age 'piracy on the high seas'! International media has widely reported how country after country have been hauling up the US for its attempt to block PPE and testing kits designated for dealing with their domestic health emergency.

Sharpest among countries who have hauled up this rogue behaviour of the US are Germany, France, Canada, Brazil and poor Barbados," the Left party said in the statement.

The CPI(M) also accused the USA of blocking many countries from getting medicines, doctors and health assistance unconditionally offered by Cuba apart from preventing any international assistance to reach the island nation.

"Cuba, apart from combating, relatively successfully, COVID-19, has an unblemished track record of international medical solidarity. The USA has criminally stopped any help reaching Iran invoking it's unilateral sanctions heaping a grave humanitarian crisis leading to preventable deaths.

"The Politburo of the CPI(M) strongly condemns the USA's unilateral strong arm methods to subvert the sovereign rights of independent countries. This US intransigence is clearly against the repeated pleading of the WHO for international cooperation in battling the global pandemic," the statement read.