Amid COVID crisis, AAP, BJP spar over admission at care centres in Delhi

AAP leader Durgesh Pathak alleged that the MCD allocated 300-400 beds for COVID-19 patients out of a total of 3,400 in its hospitals, and that many of them remained vacant.

Medics wearing PPE check a COVID-19 patient upon her arrival at LNJP hospital, in New Delhi, Sunday, May 16, 2021. (Photo | PTI)

NEW DELHI: The AAP and the BJP locked horns on Tuesday over admission of patients in COVID-19 care centres in the national capital.

AAP leader Durgesh Pathak accused the BJP-led civic body of wilful negligence in admitting patients in the 150-bed Covid Care Centre at Balak Ram Hospital, while BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor rejected the charge and called it an attempt to create confusion and tarnish the image of municipal corporations of Delhi (MCD).

Addressing a press conference, Pathak alleged that the MCD allocated 300-400 beds for COVID-19 patients out of a total of 3,400 in its hospitals, and that many of them remained vacant.

"AAP finds this a downright criminal act by BJP-led MCD and an extremely unfortunate decision. AAP demands that the BJP-led MCD must not decrease the number of allocated Covid beds. Being unable to increase the beds is fine, but the decrease is unacceptable," he said.

BJP spokesperson Kapoor said "we have always maintained that Aam Aadmi Party spokespersons speak only to create confusion and Durgesh Pathak's statement on MCD hospital occupancy is one more attempt to create confusion and tarnish MCD's image."

"Durgesh Pathak should know new patient inflow into hospitals of Covid-19 patients has rapidly gone down. This is the reason why hospital beds are vacant both in MCD & Delhi Government hospitals," he said.

"It is shameful that Aam Aadmi Party wants to play politics even in this sensitive time," he added.