"Crime Against Humanity": Priyanka Gandhi Alleges UP Panchayat Elections Led To Deaths

UP Panchayat Election:  Gandhi alleges that over 700 teachers died of COVID-19 due to the panchayat elections held in Uttar Pradesh amid the second wave of COVID-19.

Congress general Priyanka Gandhi alleged that the UP panchayat elections were “a crime against humanity” and claimed that the State Election Commission was “playing along”. The polling for the UP panchayat elections ended on April 29 and there was a 75 per cent voter turnout for the fourth and final phase of the elections.

What is happening in UP is nothing less than a crime against humanity and the SEC UP is playing along.

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— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) May 1, 2021

Gandhi said that “These elections have been conducted in almost 60,000 gram sabhas of UP without any thought of catastrophic onslaught of the second wave.”

Earlier this week, Gandhi had demanded a compensation of 50 lakh rupees for the families of government employees who died due to COVID-19 while performing poll duty.

The UP Teachers’ Federation sent a letter to the State Election Commission (SEC) stating that if the counting of votes was not postponed, teachers and staff would boycott it. The federation had alleged that the SEC did not follow COVID-19 norms and released a list claiming that nearly 706 teachers and staff involved in election duty lost their lives due to COVID-19. It also stated that a large number of teachers were still fighting COVID-19.

The federation claimed that even though the teachers’ union urged the SEC to follow the COVID-19 guidelines, but no arrangements were made. Teachers and staff were allegedly sent on poll duty while COVID-19 cases were surging without any precautionary measures.

Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shikshak Sangh (UPMSS) spokesperson RP Mishra said that due to the non-compliance of the COVID-19 norms that lead to infections and death, it would be inappropriate to go ahead with the counting of votes for the UP panchayat elections.

The Supreme Court stayed the counting of votes in Uttar Pradesh scheduled for May 2. The bench allowed for the counting of votes after taking note of several assurances of the SEC that COVID-19 protocols would be followed at the 829 counting centres. The court directed that there will be a curfew during the counting of votes till the morning of May 4. No victory rallies will be permitted.