'Sab yaad rakha jaega': Rahul Gandhi hits out at Centre over 'no O2 COVID deaths' claim

Hitting out at the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party after it said: "no COVID-19 deaths had been reported due to shortage of oxygen," Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday, in reply, teased the government stating "Sab yaad rakha jaega" (Everything will be remembered). 

Rahul Gandhi shares video of Oxygen shortage; says centre failed to protect 'Right to life and health'

Rahul Gandhi had shared a video on social media about the "truth of oxygen shortage" that said "Indian Government fails to protect Right to Life and Health in Second Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic."
It further showed pictures of people waiting in long queues to refill oxygen cylinders and an article about a Goa hospital where 75 people allegedly died due to lack of oxygen supply.

It may be mentioned here that the Centre while responding to a question by Congress MP KC Venugopal, had on Tuesday told the Rajya Sabha that 'no deaths due to lack of oxygen had been specifically reported by states and Union Territories during the second COVID wave.'

In reply, Minister of State for Health Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar stated that health is a state subject and that all states and Union Territories report cases and deaths to the Union Health Ministry regularly. The Bharatiya Janata Party, meanwhile, defended the statement saying that the Centre just collects data on COVID deaths, it does not generate it.

"Health is a state subject and no state or union territory sent any data regarding deaths, specifically due to a shortage of oxygen," BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said on Wednesday.

Opposition criticises statement

On the other hand, a number of opposition leaders criticised the Centre for the statement. 
Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut said the government was lying. Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain called the statement 'completely false' and asked why hospitals were going to the High Court for shortages if there were no deaths due to lack of oxygen. Maharashtra's Health Minister has since said that nobody died in the state due to Oxygen shortage.

The Telugu Desam Party and Congress also refuted the Centre's claim and said at least 30 people had died in Andhra Pradesh due to a shortage.

The government's response comes in following the devastating second COVID wave that overwhelmed the country's healthcare infrastructure and resulted in thousands of deaths daily. COVID cases surged dangerously from April to June and peaked in May with over 4-lakh cases and 4,000 deaths. Hospitals across the country reported severe oxygen shortages for several days and private hospitals in the national capital approached the High Court demanding a steady supply. Several hospital administrations in different states have alleged that the shortage of oxygen resulted in the death of several patients.

(Inputs from ANI)