Keypoints:
- Maha CM Uddhav Thackeray tried reaching PM Narendra Modi over the shortage of oxygen and Remedesivir.
- However, State Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik has claimed that he PM Modi was on a visit to poll-bound West Bengal.
- Prime Minster’s Office (PMO) refuted Nawab Malik’s allegation and said that Modi himself reviewed the state of oxygen supply on Friday amid surging Covid-19 cases.
Amidst the rising Covid cases in the state, there has been a shortage of oxygen supply for which, Maha CM Uddhav Thackeray tried to reach PM Modi over the shortage of oxygen and Remedesivir, which is a drug for the treatment of Covid-19. However, State Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik has claimed that PM Modi was on a visit to poll-bound West Bengal.
“Chief minister (Uddhav Thackeray) is trying to contact PM Modi on phone over shortage of oxygen and Remdesivir and he was informed that the Prime Minister is on Bengal tour,” Nawab Malik said and accused Modi of being busy in elections while “people are dying.”
Such attack from Nawab Malik has come at a time when political parties from West Bengal has been holding public rallies along with large gatherings. With Nawab Malik’s attack on the PM, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), however, has refuted Nawab’s allegation saying that PM Modi himself reviewed the state of oxygen supply. It was said that the government is in constant touch with the state governments.
Trinamool Congress leader,Derek O’Brien took to Twitter soon after the reports of Prime Minister’s alleged unavailability of Uddhav Thackeray’s call for oxygen supply.
“#SHOCKER Maharashtra CM @OfficeofUT called Modi requesting for urgent supply of oxygen for his State. Was informed that PM busy campaigning in Bengal. Will respond on his return,” he tweeted.
Currently, Maharashtra is the worst affected state by the novel coronavirus. Despite witnessing curbs and lockdowns,the western state reported 63,729 new Covid-19 cases on Friday, which has taken the state’s infection tally past 3.7 million.
PM Modi held a comprehensive meeting on Friday over the current situation of oxygen supply and the projected use in the coming fortnight across 12 high burden states – Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.
In a statement, PMs office said that the minister was briefed about the country’s production capacity to meet the rising demand for oxygen and he has asked the oxygen units to increase their production.
