Centre morally and politically accountable for COVID-19 crisis: Anand Sharma
Noting that accountability of government is integral to democracy, Congress leader Anand Sharma on Saturday said the Narendra Modi dispensation must be held morally and politically accountable for the death of COVID-19 patients due to shortage of oxygen and medicines. He said the government must answer why it didn't have an exigency plan before the onset of the second wave of the pandemic.
The former Union Minister tested positive for COVID-19 last week
"Reminding again the prime minister and his colleagues that India cannot be micromanaged in a pandemic. The responsibility for the deaths of Indian citizens for the shortage of oxygen and medicines lies squarely at the doorstep of the government," Sharma said on Twitter. Sharma tested COVID-19 positive last week and is currently recuperating. He is admitted at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram and is stable.
Here is Sharma's tweet
'Apathy of government which remains in brazen denial is unforgivable'
Sharma further said that the unfolding tragedy of India's citizens dying for want of medicines and man-made oxygen shortage is shocking. "But, the apathy of the government which remains in brazen denial is unforgivable. A mindset of control, obsession for publicity and propaganda, and desperation for dominance and power as a priority have destroyed India's preparedness to fight the second surge," he noted.
Negating role of states has resulted in 'unprecedented national disaster'
"In a federal country of 135 crore people, the centralization of all authority and decisions to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, negating the role of the states, has resulted in an unprecedented national disaster," Sharma said. "Why no exigency plan was put in place? Why oxygen emergency reserve was not created? Who is responsible for rampant black marketing of life-saving medicines," he asked.
India witnessed another record single-day spike
India saw a record single-day rise of 3,46,786 coronavirus cases, pushing the country's tally of infections to 1,66,10,481, while active cases crossed the 25-lakh mark, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Saturday. The death toll rose to 1,89,544 with a record 2,624 more fatalities in a day, the data updated at 8 am showed.
