When India is breathless, politicians are bickering

When the country's health infrastructure is collapsing amid an acute shortage of oxygen and hospital beds, the Central and state governments have been engaged in a bitter war of words rather than finding a solution to the problems. The hospitals are overburdened, patients are gasping for oxygen, people are desperately seeking medical aid but the ugly fight between the two governments continues.

New Delhi:Never has center-state relations been so low as being witnessed in the bickering between administrations of Delhi and the Centre. What should have been a problem-solving exercise when thousands are fighting for their lives and seeking administrative intervention at the highest levels IS being reduced to a blame game between egos of parties and their leaders.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal hit out at the centre during the meeting with the prime minister over oxygen supply to the national capital.

''There's a huge shortage of oxygen in Delhi. Will the people of Delhi do not get oxygen if there is no oxygen-producing plant here? Please suggest whom should I speak to in Central Govt when an oxygen tanker destined for Delhi is stopped in another state?,” said Kejriwal

Kejriwal's deputy minister Manish Sisodia has been relentless in his attacks against the centre and the states over oxygen supply to Delhi. Sisodia even claimed that oxygen tankers meant for Delhi hospitals have been held up at the borders of the state. The MHA, meanwhile, was forced to issue a circular on the free movement of oxygen tankers at interstate borders.

However, government sources to news agencies have slammed Delhi Chief Ministers' alleged politicking of the issue. Govt Sources say Delhi CM Kejriwal used the PM-CM conference on Covid as a platform to play politics.

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”He chose to spread lies on vaccine prices despite knowing that Centre does not keep one vaccine dose with itself and shares with states only," said government sources.

Govt Sources say Delhi CM Kejriwal raised a point of airlifting oxygen but did not know that it is already being done.

They added, "He spoke about Oxygen express by Railways but Railway sources say that he has not communicated anything about it to Railways."

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Government sources also slammed that the entire exercise was not about problem-solving but an attempt to tarnish the centre.

"Kejriwal has descended to a new low. For the first time, private conversations of PMs meeting with CM was televised. His entire speech was not meant for any solution but for playing politics and evade responsibility," govt sources to news agencies said.

Many hospitals in Delhi alone are facing acute medical oxygen shortage. The centre and the states have ramped up the production of medical oxygen and even have diverted oxygen meant for industries. However, the caseload is such that the system has been overwhelmed and many hospitals have been forced to stop new admissions. As India faces its biggest health crisis since Independence, its post-independence politicians of the 21st century have failed its people.

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