Deaths being under-reported, alleges Rahul Gandhi

"Shroud the truth. Deny oxygen shortage. Underreport deaths. Government of India (GOI) is doing everything......to save his fake image," the Congress leader tweeted

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday alleged that the truth about the pandemic is shrouded and deaths are being under-reported. “Shroud the truth. Deny oxygen shortage. Underreport deaths. Government of India (GOI) is doing everything……to save his fake image,” he said on Twitter.

He shared the front page of ‘The New York Times’ showing a picture of cremations being conducted and headlined, “As Covid ravages India, true toll is undercounted”. Rahul Gandhi earlier alleged that the “system has failed” and it is the duty of the party to provide help to fellow citizens suffering due to the sudden spurt in COVID-19 cases in the country.

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His comments came on a day Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his ‘Mann ki Baat’ radio programme said the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has shaken the country and assured the people that the Centre was working with all its power to help the states. “System’ failed, so it’s important to do Jan ki baat,” Gandhi said on Twitter.

“In this crisis, the country needs responsible citizens. I request my Congress colleagues to leave all political work — just provide all help and ease the pain of our countrymen,” he added.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said “hiding data” and not sharing the total number of infections and deaths is doing a disservice to the nation. He said the data, howsoever serious it may be, makes us aware and alert, and urged for a “course correction”.

“The Modi government has bungled up. If Modi government has abandoned its people and abdicated its duty, please do course correction and let us work together,” he told reporters.