New Delhi: The Congress has attacked the Delhi and central governments for the suffering of the people in the national capital due to the pandemic. The Congress said that “Common man is suffering highest degree of health atrocities for the political blame game, bickering and mis-governance and non-governance of the AAP and the BJP governments.”
The Congress leader Ajay Maken has complained to the NHRC which has issued notice to the government agencies.
“The toll rise in COVID-19 deaths due to untimely medical care despite confirming of available beds by GNCTD (Government of National Capital Territory of Delh) has shown the callous attitude of the government,” said a statement from Congress.
Abhishek Manu Singhvi, senior spokesperson of the party, said, “It is tragic that the blame game, the internal bickering, the ego clashes, the misgovernance and non governance by the AAP-BJP ruling duo has brought Delhi to such a sad and sorry pass. This duo fiddles through cross allegations.”
The party alleged that both the governments are passing the buck and scoring debating points over each other — while the people and the city of Delhi burn. They play 24×7 politics with the lives and well being of Delhi’s common man and compound the felony by hiding facts, figures and reality through multiple veils of obfuscation and non transparency.
He said, the NHRC has acted promptly, strongly and categorically on the complaint of former DPCC President and former Union Minister, Ajay Maken and said, “this is a serious issue of violation of human rights. The Commission, therefore takes cognizance of the complaint and directs issuance of notices” while further recording “a large number of people have died and the National capital is one of the worst affected cities so far”.
The Congress said, despite having the largest number of hospitals and the most advanced healthcare facilities in India, these two mismanaging musketeers have cost Delhi dear, both in precious lives and the exponential and unceasing rise of the virus.
“Thousands of people are running from pillar to post in search of beds and fighting tooth and nail to even get a COVID test. Dead bodies are piling up with unprecedented lengthy waiting lists even to give peace to the dead at cremation sites,” the Congress said.
As per the official figures of the Government, Delhi has a robust hospital infrastructure of 57,194 beds combined with central government hospitals and private hospitals. But as per the data available on the Delhi government’s Corona App as on June 9, 2020, out of the total capacity, only 12 per cent beds in Delhi government hospitals, 8 per cent beds in central government hospitals and 7 per cent beds in private hospital were occupied and being used to treat COVID patients, said Anil Chaudhary, Delhi Congress Chief.
There is non-availability of beds resulting into various deaths across the capital as people could not get timely medical care, he said further.
Delhi Government has 38 Health Institutions (Hospitals) in Delhi. Out of these, 33 hospitals are not accepting COVID patients, the party alleged.
The Congress has demanded that the government should ensure timely admission of patients and testing should be done in fast paced manner.
The Congress said restricting COVID testing can lead to serious problems in Delhi as the positivity test ratio in Delhi as on Jun 8 was 27 positive cases per hundred tests and recovery rate is low, the AAP government on June 4 gave notice for ‘over-testing’ to the 8 labs and thereafter made them dysfunctional.
“These 8 labs were testing about 4,000 patients per day. Where compliments and rewards may be in order, threats and punishment are being meted out amidst this perverse and warped logic of the ruling dispensation!” said Singhvi.
The Congress said that across Delhi, there has been massive delay in conducting the last rites of those died during the pandemic period. Cremations are taking up to 5-6 days after death and relatives of the deceased have been found struggling to find slots and the Delhi government is violating ICMR and WHO norms by not testing the dead.
