Govt must be held accountable for shortage of oxygen in hospitals: Congress

The opposition Congress held the Union government responsible for the shortage of oxygen in New Delhi hospitals and the resultant deaths of Covid-19 patients.

The Congress also questioned the competence of the Arvind Kejriwal administration in dealing with the medical emergency in New Delhi.

Citizens are dying for want of medicines and the oxygen shortage has shocked the collective conscience of the nation, senior Congress leader Anand Sharma said.


The apathy of the government’s “brazen denial is unforgivable,” he said and reiterated that India cannot be micromanaged in a pandemic.

“The responsibility for the deaths of Indian citizens for shortage of oxygen and medicines lies squarely at the doorstep of the government,” Sharma said. “Accountability of government is integral to democracy. This government must be held morally and politically accountable.”

Sharma, who himself was hospitalised after testing positive for Covid-19, said the very basic attitude of the Modi government was wrong.

“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,” Sharma said.