Stop sensationalising minor issues: YSRCP to CBN on AP 'SMS Covid-19 testing racket'

Former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu aka CBN alleged that YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government has woven the narrative of one million Covid tests, which is either a sham/scam. But the YCP has hit back, saying stop sensationalising minor issues to score political brownie points.

The YCP government claimed on Sunday that with no single lab before March 7, it has set up 78 COVID-19 test labs in Andhra Pradesh and conducted over 10 lakh coronavirus tests in four months. N Chandrababu Naidu took to his Twitter account to expose the government and said that it is sending SMS to the people, who have not given their samples for the COVID-19 tests.

N Chandrababu Naidu tweeted the video of a lady official from Ananthapur detailing on sending SMS to the wrong number and wrote, "From the beginning, the @ysjagan Govt has cheated people & the Centre reg Covid Testing numbers. This video from Anantapur Dist is proof of that. People who had not even given their samples have received SMSes declaring them to be negative/positive #SMSCoronaTestingRacketInAP."

N Chandrababu Naidu went on to call it a SMS Testing Racket, as he tweeted, "Shocked that a Govt can stoop to such level to cover their failures. 'One Million Covid tests' narrative woven by the AP Govt is either a sham/scam.I request the Centre to look into this immediately & expose the criminal motive behind the 'SMS Testing Racket' run by the Govt."

Arogya Sethu App team responds

The team of Arogya Sethu App from Andhra Pradesh (ASAP) was quick in responding to N Chandrababu Naidu. It said that the AP govt has introduced this unique way of sending test results via SMS, which will be sent to the number given by the person, who gives sample. If he gives the wrong number, it is not the government's fault.

The ASAP team replied to CBN, "SMS goes to the number given by the person seeking #COVID test. If they give the wrong number/someone else's number SMS goes to that number. AP govt introduced this unique way of sending test results by SMS reducing panic in people about their test results. In a million messages finding fault in a few messages that too not due to the fault of Govt is unnecessary in this #COVID19Pandemic."

S. Rajiv Krishna, the YSR Congress Party spokesperson, hit back at CBN with the same response. He tweeted, "Dear @ncbn garu stop taking minor issues & create a sensation to score political brownie points. When we r tackling a new disease & when we hv ramped up from 0 to 18 test centers / 0 to 1mm tests in 4 months small issues may come up, which w be resolved @ArogyaAndhra @YSRCParty."