Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya Asks Opposition to Stop politics on Oxygen Shortage
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 3rd Dec. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday asked the opposition parties to stop playing politics over oxygen shortage during the second wave of COVID-19 infections.
He asked the opposition to take note of the Centre’s efforts to ramp production of the life-saving gas to meet the surge in demand.
Addressing the Lok Sabha during the Question Hour, Mandaviya said that the Centre has made “all possible efforts” to ensure the availability of oxygen and increased its production following a rise in demand during the second wave of the pandemic.
“Sadly, even in such a situation, many people did not refrain from playing politics… I appeal, take note of our honest efforts. This is not a subject of politics,” the health minister said in reply to a question on the issue raised by Congress MP Suresh Dhanorkar.
Mandaviya also slammed opposition over allegations about deaths due to oxygen shortage during that period. He said that the Centre sought from states data on the matter and only the Punjab government replied that there were four suspected cases of such deaths and a probe into them was underway.
“I want to say that Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) had said at the chief ministers’ meeting that there was no need to hide the number of deaths due to the shortage of oxygen. It (numbers) should be reported,” Mandaviya said.
He added that the Centre wrote to states thrice, requesting them to provide data on the number of people who died due to shortage of oxygen.
“A total of 19 states responded and it’s only Punjab which stated in writing that four suspected deaths were there (in the state) and that too being investigated. We made it public. Still, politics is happening,” Mandaviya added.
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