Centre wants states to lie and deny deaths due to oxygen shortage: Manish Sisodia

Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia on Friday said that Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal has again rejected the Delhi government's proposal to form a panel to investigate deaths due to oxygen shortage in the capital city. However, no one can deny that Delhi dealt with an oxygen crisis during the second wave and that several died due to the shortage of oxygen, he noted. Sisodia was speaking at an online press conference.

"We had resubmitted a file for the constitution of a panel to probe deaths due to oxygen shortage. The LG (lieutenant governor) is saying that there is no need for that," he said.

Sisodia further alleged that the Centre has been asking for the number of people who died due to oxygen shortage while not allowing states to investigate them. "You have not been allowing us to investigate such deaths. Then how will states tell?" he asked.

"That means the Centre wants us to give in writing that no deaths occurred due to the shortage of oxygen. It will be a big lie," Sisodia added.

Sisodia further held the Centre responsible for oxygen mismanagement in the capital in April and May. Whether it was deliberate or a mistake is a matter of investigation, he added. The Centre will have to accept that it was responsible for the oxygen crisis, Sisodia said.

The deputy CM had written to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya last week stating the necessity of a probe to identify oxygen-related deaths during the second wave. The Delhi government is seeking fresh approval from the LG to form an expert panel for it, he added.

Though the Delhi government formed a four-member expert committee to look into deaths due to oxygen shortage during the second wave in June, it was rejected by the LG.