Meenakshi Lekhi slams Delhi govt for oxygen shortage, being unprepared amid COVID surge

By Suchitra Mukherjee
New Delhi [India], April 23 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Meenakshi Lekhi on Friday slammed the Delhi government for the ongoing COVID oxygen shortage crisis saying that despite a year to prepare, the government has not done enough.
She also slammed Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia for pointing fingers at the Uttar Pradesh and Haryana governments for allegedly hindering oxygen tankers headed towards Delhi, saying he was politicising the matter by not mentioning Rajasthan.
"COVID-19 cases had been increasing since March. The government that was responsible did not take notice and still isn't paying attention. Till April 15, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that there were no oxygen-related issues in Delhi. They were either not thinking at the time or purposefully allowed this situation to deteriorate," Lekhi said.
She added, "States that needed oxygen plants and needed to build their health infrastructure were given money from the PM CARES fund. Delhi was also given ventilators. The Delhi government did not do anything to increase the oxygen supply despite having a year to prepare."
"Both Haryana and UP have BJP governments. Why don't they ask why (Congress-run) Rajasthan is not supplying oxygen? It is shameful that to see politicians being defamed like this," she added.
The national capital is in the middle of a lethal fourth COVID-19 wave. Over the last few days, hospitals have flagged oxygen shortages, many saying that they only had enough to last a few hours.
Following marathon hearings at the Delhi High Court, the Centre has increased Delhi's oxygen allocation to 480 MTS.
The BJP MP further asked why the farm law protesters at the borders of the national capital had not been asked to move.
"Even today, so-called farmers are protesting on the borders of UP and Haryana to whom Kejriwal had supplied water tankers. Why didn't Manish Sisodia ask these people to leave?" she questioned.
When asked about the reported appeals of Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait to set up COVID-19 vaccination camps at the protest sites around Delhi, Lekhi said that no such camps should be set up at the borders.
She alleged that they were not residents of Delhi and should be asked to make declarations to prove that they are farmers. (ANI)