Covid deaths: Congress says the Centre has 'lost the plot'

Speaking to ETV Bharat, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate slammed the central government for claiming that no Covid deaths occurred due to lack of oxygen during the second wave of this pandemic. She also alleged that the government has committed a sin by making such a brazen statement.

New Delhi: Congress party on Wednesday accused the central government of committing a "sin" by claiming that no Covid deaths occurred due to lack of oxygen during the second wave of this pandemic.

While speaking to ETV Bharat, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said, "I am shocked and dismayed by the BJP. Lakhs of people have lost their lives due to the lack of oxygen. Instead of admitting that it mismanaged the situation and did not provide oxygen, delayed oxygen plant tenders, the government is now brazen. Giving such statements in Parliament is like rubbing salt to the wounds of people who lost their loved ones."

In response to an unstarred question of Congress Rajya Sabha MP KC Venugopal, the Health Ministry replied, on Tuesday, "No deaths due to lack of oxygen have been specifically reported by States/UTs."

"BJP is sinning at every level. This is not just one statement in Parliament, this is sin. You are playing and mocking the deaths of lakhs of people that happened because of your failure," Shrinate said.

On Wednesday, BJP Spokesperson Sambit Patra held a press conference over this matter where he launched an attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi by calling him a "Twitter troll".

To this, Shrinate replied, "This particular person should actually first surrender his degree. I'm told that he is a doctor. You can be a party spokesperson but you don't need to sin. Rahul Gandhi was the first to talk about Covid but this government was busy with 'Namaste Trump' and toppling the Madhya Pradesh government. He was the first to talk about vaccination drive and oxygen shortage."

She further added, "As an Opposition leader he is holding you accountable for what you are actually supposed to do. Instead of delivering on that, you just want to malign reputation. The truth is that the country has witnessed how shamelessly you failed on your duty."

The Centre had given an explanation over this matter saying that Health is a state subject and no such casualties due to lack of oxygen have been reported by any state. Meanwhile, the Congress party, on Tuesday, also skipped the all-party meeting called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi where the Health Ministry officials had to give a PowerPoint Presentation on the current situation of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"I firmly believe that this government is simply trying to push narratives. Right now, there is a more important question that why Mr Modi and Mr Shah has failed in managing Covid-19. It is because they were too busy in snooping. This is treason and a breach of the Official Secrets Act. To have a presentation is of no use because the government has lost the plot," the Congress leader alleged.