MALAPPURAM: Amid surging coronavirus cases in the district, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said all necessary assistance will be provided to the Malappuram district administration to fight COVID-19.
Gandhi was speaking at a COVID-19 evaluation meeting at the collectorate here.
Malappuram has been witnessing a spurt in infections of late and in the past three days, the district has recorded the highest number of cases in the state-- 1,399 on Sunday, 1,519 on Saturday and 1,025 cases on Friday.
"The rate of spread of the infection, the facilities arranged in the medical sector, and other matters related to the pandemic were discussed.
Malappuram Collector presented the report related to pandemic," a release issued by Malappuram district information office said.
It also said the Wayanad MP expressed satisfaction in the COVID-19 preventive treatment measures in the district.
P. Ubaidullah, MLA, presided over the meeting which was attended by K C Venugopal MP, MLAs A P Anil Kumar, Shafi Parambil, ADM N M Meherali, Sub Collector K S Anju, among others.
Gandhi also said the Congress party observes as a "serious matter", the "illegal detention" of Kerala journalist Siddique Kappan.
A statement issued by the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) secretary K P Naushad Ali and Mahila Congress leader Fathima Roshna said they brought the detention issue to the notice of Gandhi who assured them that Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee and party leader Priyanka Gandhi will intervene in the matter.
Siddique Kappan and three others were arrested in Mathura while they were on their way to Hathras,home to a Dalit woman who died after being allegedly gang-raped.
Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, Ramesh Chennithala tweeted that Gandhi's visit "will boost UDF workers in continuing their fight against "corrupt LDF government and the communal NDA regime."
"He will assess development works and the coronavirus situation in Wayanad.
The visit will be a major boost for the UDF workers in continuing their fight against #CorruptLDFGovt and the communal NDA regime," Chennithala tweeted.
Meanwhile, senior Left leader and MLA C K Saseendran criticised Gandhi's visit and said the normal visit of an MP has grabbed headlines because the Congress leader visits his constituency as a guest.
The Wayanad MP reached here on Monday on a three-day visit to his constituency, spread over the three districts of Malappuram, Wayanad and Kozhikode districts.