Indian state Uttar Pradesh’s BJP government accused of ordering crackdown on individuals and hospitals reporting shortages.
The right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in India’s most populous Uttar Pradesh state has ordered a crackdown on individuals and hospitals reporting a shortage of medical oxygen or beds.
Over the weekend, the northern state’s saffron-clad Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, a firebrand Hindu monk known for his hate speech, threatened to invoke the stringent National Security Act (NSA) and the Gangster Act against anyone trying to spread fear and panic during the pandemic.
Cow Science exam postponed in India amid ‘controversy over syllabus’
He also said the property of “anti-social elements” spreading “rumours and propaganda on social media” should be seized a measure earlier used by the state against criminals, but now becoming a regular threat under Adityanath’s government.
During the nationwide protests against a controversial citizenship law passed by the BJP-led federal government in 2019, the Uttar Pradesh government had ordered the seizure of properties of many protesters, most of them Muslims.
“There is no shortage of beds, oxygen and life-saving drugs in the state,” Adityanath said during a virtual news conference on Monday, claiming his government has “established 32 oxygen plants” in the state.
“At present, we have 72 oxygen tankers transporting oxygen to hospitals across all districts in the state,” he said.
Amazon appeal get response as Indian SC halts Mukesh Ambani retail deal
But in various cities of Uttar Pradesh, which has been reporting an average of 30,000 COVID-19 infections a day, hospitals and crematoriums are inundated with patients and bodies, with officials saying they are facing a shortage of liquid oxygen.
The state capital, Lucknow, has been one of the worst-hit cities, forcing the authorities to enforce a weekend lockdown.
On Monday, Adityanath, who himself is currently down with COVID-19, was pilloried for his government’s handling of the crisis by a regional court.
“It is a shame that while the government knew of the magnitude of the second wave it never planned things in advance,” the Allahabad High Court said.
India Supreme Court set up panel to end farmers’ protest
The opposition Congress party’s leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday wrote to Adityanath, warning of a “health emergency” in the state and offering her suggestions on managing the crisis, including ramping up testing and vaccination.
In the last 3 days, fresh COVID19 positive cases have gone down in the state. There in no shortage of beds, oxygen and life saving drugs in the State: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath pic.twitter.com/JkRQy5KgHf
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) April 26, 2021
India’s federal government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also been accused of targeting people for flagging a shortage of oxygen and hospital beds.
On Saturday, the Indian government asked social media platform Twitter to delete dozens of tweets, including some by local legislators, that were critical of India’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak, even as COVID-19 cases continued to hit a world record.
“Suppression of information and criticism of government is not only dangerous for India but it is putting people around the world at risk,” said Mirza Saaib Beg, a lawyer whose tweets were among those withheld.
Bridging gaps in logistics to augment & expedite supply of medical #oxygen
20 cryogenic tankers of 10 MT & 20 MT capacity imported by Govt of India have been allocated to States@PMOIndia @MoHFW_INDIA #Unite2FightCorona pic.twitter.com/Tp9levfzJf
— Dr Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) April 27, 2021
India, with a population of about 1.3 billion, has a tally of 17.64 million infections, but experts believe it runs much higher. Vaccine demand has outpaced supply even as India plans to open its vaccination drive for all adults starting May 1.
On Tuesday, federal health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan tweeted that the government has “expedited” oxygen supplies to states, including Uttar Pradesh.
Indian govt to regulate online news portals and social media sites
Meanwhile, in a middle-class neighbourhood in central Lucknow, there is anger and sadness in the Srivastava household after the cremation of the head of the family.
“I blame the officers sitting in air-conditioned chambers for my father’s death,” said 39-year-old Ashish, who himself is now COVID-19 positive.
