RJD's Shivanand Tiwari accuses Bihar Government of hiding COVID-19 fatality data

In a major allegation, the RJD leader Shivanand Tiwari, on Sunday told ANI that complete reports of COVID-19 fatality in Bihar are not coming out. While talking to the agency, Tiwari also made remarks on the rift between West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and state opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and alleged that the BJP is not 'cooperating' with the Chief Minister. He further added that the mutiny between the two began since Mamata Banerjee swore in as 3rd time Chief Minister of Bengal. After the declaration of election results in the state, the ruling TMC has been accused of violently harassing BJP and CPI(M) workers.

Tiwari also claimed that the governor's house has become the BJP office. 

"Since the first day of Mamata Banerjee's swearing as 3rd time Chief Minister of Bengal, BJP is not cooperating with her. All the governor's house becomes the BJP office everywhere," added RJD leader Shivanand Tiwari.

RJD leader Shivanand Tiwari on COVID-19 crisis

The RJD leader opined that this government should 'relief from tax on medicines' for citizens as the nation is suffering from the COVID-19 crisis. On Saturday's 44th, GST Council meet the Government of India exempted GST from treating the black fungus infection. GST rates on other COVID-19 drugs recommended by the health ministry for COVID-19 treatment were also slashed. Shivanand Tiwari further talked about Bihar's coronavirus situation and alleged that there is no transparency in records. 

The RJD leader marked some explosive allegations on Bihar's COVID-19 management. 

"In Bihar, there is no proper data for recording actual numbers of death due to covid-19. So many patients are dying in their houses, these reports are not coming into the govt. record," claimed RJD leader Shivanand Tiwari.

The statement from the RJD leader came nearly three days after Bihar health department revised the Covid-19 death toll and added 72 per cent more fatalities. As reports of accusation on Bihar government for hiding the data started surfacing, the Patna High Court asked for an audit of casualties in the second wave of the virus.

Bihar COVID-19 cases

The state on Saturday recorded less than 500 COVID-19 cases with 432 infections which took the overall tally to 716728 while 18 fatalities raised the death toll to 9484. Moreover, 701543 COVID-19 patients have recovered so far taking the recovery rate to 97.88 per cent. 

(With ANI inputs)