Panaji, Apr 15 (PTI) Independent MLA Rohan Khaunte on Thursday alleged that the BJP government in Goa was organising Tika Utsav to divert people's attention from the rise in COVID-19 cases.

Khaunte pointed out that while the state government had not imposed any restrictions, neighbouring Maharashtra had gone for a lockdown due to the rise in infections.

"I believe that the BJP government has been organising Tika Utsav only to divert people's attention from the spike in COVID-19 infections,” he said, adding that there is no assurance that people won't get infected after taking the vaccine.

Khaunte said the state government should impose severe restrictions on people travelling to Goa from the neighbouring states.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant in the name of economy and tourism has left the ground open for the virus to spread, he said.

The situation in the state's hospitals is grim, as there is shortage of beds and pictures of patients kept on stretchers in parking lots have emerged on social media, the MLA claimed.

Goa on Wednesday recorded 473 COVID-19 cases that took the tally of infections to 63,815. The coastal state currently has 5,112 active cases.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)