Uttar Pradesh government hiding coronavirus numbers, alleges Priyanka

By PTI
LUCKNOW: Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday accused the Uttar Pradesh government of hiding coronavirus numbers and said had they been cautious from day one, people would not have witnessed such times.

Priyanka said this speaking to state party leaders during a virtual meeting. “The situation in Uttar Pradesh is on the verge of being the most explosive while the state government is constantly hiding the data. Had the government been cautious since the first day of the coronavirus pandemic, people would not have seen such days. The government has consistently hidden the number of infections and deaths,” she alleged.

“There is no system and plan of the government to deal with coronavirus and control it,” she said, accusing the state government of having a “failed, insensitive and irresponsible system” amid the infection spread.

She said from a letter of state minister Brijesh Pathak, it is clear that testing is not being done in hospitals.

Between April 5 and 11, while coronavirus cases increased by 70 per cent in the country, in Uttar Pradesh, infections have risen by 281 per cent, she said.

“Of 24 crore population of the state, not even 1 crore people have been vaccinated,” she added. The Congress leader claimed that the situation is such that queues of bodies can be seen in Lucknow and there is a shortage of wood at crematoriums for the last rites.

“The common man of the state is helpless to perform the last rites of his family in a dignified manner. People are cremating their loved ones in crematoriums and cemeteries from morning till late night,” she said.

Priyanka said her party stands with people of the state and committed to support them in every way.

The Congress leader demanded proper oxygen arrangements in state hospitals and said test reports should be provided within 24 hours.

Besides, she also demanded increasing RT-PCR testing, providing beds for treatment, a package of financial assistance from the government for poor victims, complete arrangements for the last rites of dead and to speed up the vaccination campaign.