Manish Sisodia claims Centre doesn't want oxygen-related deaths probe; 'wants us to lie'

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday said that the Centre "deliberately" wants states to say that there were no deaths due to oxygen shortage. He also stated that Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal rejected the Delhi government's proposal to form a panel to "investigate deaths due to oxygen shortage" in the national capital.

Asserting that Delhi was grappled with an oxygen crisis during the second wave of COVID-19, Sisodia said, "We had resubmitted a file for the constitution of a panel to probe deaths due to oxygen shortage. The L-G (lieutenant governor) is saying that there is no need for that."

He said that the Centre has been asking for oxygen crisis-related COVID deaths. "You have not been allowing us to investigate such deaths then how will states tell?" Manish Sisodia asked.

"That means the Centre deliberately wants us to give in writing that no death occurred due to the shortage of oxygen in the entire country. It will be a big lie. It will be a cruel joke with the families who have lost their loved ones," the deputy CM added.

Sisodia calls Centre responsible for oxygen crisis

The oxygen mismanagement in April and May was on the part of the Centre and whether it was deliberate or a mistake should be investigated, Sisodia said. "People have died due to oxygen shortage in the 21st century, but the Centre is saying these fatalities should not be probed. Why?" he asked. 

In June, the Delhi government had formed a four-member panel to probe into deaths due to the shortage of oxygen amid the second wave. The committee, however, was rejected by L-G.

Last week, Sisodia wrote to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and said that without a proper investigation, it is difficult to ascertain if any casualties took place due to oxygen shortage.