Kejriwal is a 'failure': BJP on Delhi govt's handling of COVID-19 crisis

Citing the Supreme Court's sharp comments on the Delhi government's handling of COVID-19 cases, the BJP on Friday said the "truth" is out and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been a "failure". BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said the court's comments are " worrisome" and show that the health infrastructure in the city has crumbled.  "This is not time for any aggressive politics but to come together to rescue Delhi and to think of the city seriously. Shedding its negative politics, the Kejriwal government should work on the ground and be concerned about people of Delhi," he said.  Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court termed as "horrific" the state of affairs in Delhi hospitals, with dead bodies being stacked next to COVID-19 patients. It sought responses from the Centre and different states as it took suo moto (on its own) cognisance of the treatment being meted out to patients and the handling of bodies.

Patra said the Delhi government should pay heed to the court's observations. It should leave politics and publicity aside and work on the ground, he added.  "The Supreme Court has reacted strongly to Arvind Kejriwal's failure. Delhi's truth is out in front of us. Kejriwal is a failure," he said in a tweet. In a statement later, Patra said the central government fully stands with the people of Delhi and will lend any support sought by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.

The number of COVID tests should be increased and the dead be accorded dignity by the Delhi government, he said. "Politicians who are in power in Delhi should get out to understand people's concerns, and they should not confine themselves to press conferences and publicity for politics," he added.

Recent comments made by Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on the LG and the BJP were very condemnable, he said, referring to the AAP's leader criticism of the lieutenant governor's decision to overrule the city government's order to reserve hospitals run by it for city domiciles.  The AAP government should spend money on boosting the city's infrastructure and not on its publicity, he said.  Cities like Mumbai and Chennai have scaled up their testing so it does not make any sense as to why Delhi has reduced its number of COVID tests to 5,000 from 7,000 when cases are on a rise, he said.  During the hearing of the suo moto writ petition, the Supreme Court said hospitals in Delhi are not giving due care to keeping bodies and not even informing family members about deaths. As a result, the patients' family members are unable to attend their last rites. The top court has titled the case as "Proper Treatment of COVID-19 Patients and Dignified Handling of Dead Bodies in Hospitals etc." PTI KR TDS TDS