Delhi L-G should work with us to probe oxygen deaths: Manish Sisodia

NEW DELHI: After the Centre refuted the Delhi government’s claim about not receiving a letter on oxygen deaths, Deputy CM Manish Sisodia on Thursday brushed aside the row contending that it would be pertinent to accept that lives were indeed lost at the height of the pandemic.

Sisodia also wrote to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya to approve the committee of health experts constituted by the Delhi government for investigating the deaths due to lack of oxygen in Delhi. “It would be wrong to assume that there were no deaths due to lack of oxygen during the second wave of Covid in Delhi. We have to admit that there have been deaths due to the lack of oxygen. So far, about 25,000 people have died in Delhi, but it is not known how many deaths occurred due to the lack of oxygen” said Sisodia.

Earlier, the AAP had alleged that there was no written letter or communication from the Centre asking for the number of deaths due to lack of oxygen. On Wednesday, Mandaviya tweeted screenshots of an email sent by his office to the Delhi government regarding a question asked in Parliament on this matter, leaving the AAP government embarrassed.

Sisodia asserted that the central government had earlier adopted a very irresponsible and insensitive attitude and refused to accept that there were any deaths due to lack of oxygen in the country. It is only after the court’s intervention that the Centre is now asking for data from States, he added.

“Like last time, this time the L-G should not dismiss the inquiry committee, but cooperate with us in investigating the deaths due to lack of oxygen.” The Delhi government is ready to investigate the deaths that occurred due to the lack of oxygen and it will be done with full responsibility,  Sisodia added.