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Congress, BJP in war of words over oxygen tanker
Amid the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, political slugfest began in Uttar Pradesh as the Congress government in Chhattisgarh announced it was sending oxygen for a private hospital in Lucknow
Amid the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, political slugfest began in Uttar Pradesh as the Congress government in Chhattisgarh announced it was sending oxygen for a private hospital in Lucknow.
“On being informed by Priyanka Gandhiji on phone about acute crisis of oxygen in Lucknow, a tanker of oxygen has been sent for Medanta Hospital in Lucknow,” Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel tweeted.
He signed off his tweet with “sabhi swasthya rahein (may all be healthy).”
The tanker carrying 16 tons of oxygen showed the party’s concern for the common man in the state, Congress leaders said. Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Kumar ‘Lallu’ and other party leaders in the state took to twitter to thank the Chhattisgarh chief minister even as his party leaders, including former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and party’s UP in-charge Priyanka Gandhi Vadra targeted the BJP, accusing it of hiding the reality.
Almost immediately, UP BJP spokesman Navin Srivastava took to twitter to target the Congress leadership, wondering if the tanker on which oxygen was being sent to the state was “real”.
“Is it actually a tanker? Last time instead of buses, numbers of auto and motorcycles were given,” Srivastava tweeted, reviving memories of the bitter controversy that broke out last year. Back then, BJP claimed there were flaws in the Congress’s offer to send buses to bring back such migrant labourers who were stuck on UP borders due to nationwide lockdown during the first corona wave.
Other BJP leaders, including several lawmakers, started targeting the Congress.
“Priyanka ji shouldn’t be engaging in political stunts,” said BJP lawmaker Deomani Dwivedi, reacting to the Congress leadership’s criticism of the state government’s handling of Covid situation in the state in general and the “oxygen crisis” in particular.
The Yogi Adityanath government has decided to conduct an oxygen audit, an exercise through which it hopes to check the demand and supply requirements.
Both the Congress and the BJP have been speaking of using the cadre to help the Covid-hit people of the state.
While the BJP has issued a toll-free helpline number for the needy, party leaders said the BJP is also setting up helpdesks across the districts to disseminate information. The Congress spoke of activating its Seva Dal workers.
Both parties are contesting the ongoing panchayat polls in the state and looking at these rural polls as an opportunity to connect with the people ahead of 2022 UP polls.
