While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Central government’s agencies praise the ‘Mumbai model’ of fighting the coronavirus, BJP’s Maharashtra leaders seem to think otherwise. The party, which is in the Opposition in the State has once again alleged that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is fudging data.
Former Maharashtra Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis has written to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, claiming the State hid 9,603 deaths in 2020 and the practice is still prevalent. “Mumbai has not only reduced the number of COVID tests, but increased the rapid antigen test in a bid to develop new model. Mumbai has registered 40% deaths in the category of ‘deaths due to other reason’ when other districts stand at 0.8% only. Every method is being used to hide the number of deaths,” said Mr. Fadnavis in his letter, which came in response to Ms. Gandhi’s letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Congress said that since Mr. Fadnavis cannot dare to question Mr. Modi over the misgovernance of BJP-ruled States, he has chosen to target Opposition leaders like Ms. Gandhi.
Mr. Fadnavis claimed that out of 4,000 deaths in the country, 850 are in Maharashtra alone. Complaining that MVA government, of which Congress is a part, has left regions like Marathwada, Vidarbha and north Maharashtra to fend for themselves, he claimed that people were struggling for Remdesivir, oxygen and medical treatment. Mr. Fadnavis said that the Centre has provided maximum help to the State. “While criticising the Central government, it is your duty to check on the performance of the State governments where your party is in power or in the ruling alliance,” he said.
The Congress shot back at Mr. Fadnavis, calling his letter an attempt to hide Mr. Modi’s failure. “Mr. Fadnavis has lied on every possible count in his letter. Be it about the aid from the Centre or number of deaths. Courts had to intervene on every step to force the Centre to provide aid to Maharashtra. While pointing fingers at number of tests in Maharashtra, he is conveniently ignoring BJP-ruled States like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar where no tests at all are being conducted,” said Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole.
Mr. Patole said that Gujarat has recorded over one lakh deaths in 71 days but government is recording only 4,218 deaths. “BJP-ruled States are burying dead bodies to hide deaths while people are dying due to lack of oxygen in Goa. This is the BJP’s model of governance. Mr. Fadnavis should have written to Narendra Modi, but since he has no guts to ask questions, he chose to write to an Opposition leader,” Mr. Patole added.