NEW DELHI: An all-out verbal war has broken out between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over the outbreak of dengue and chikungunya in the national capital, with the former accusing the Delhi Government of sheer negligence and the Arvind Kejriwal-led party slamming the Centre for becoming an impediment.
“The Chief Minister is busy outside Delhi, the Health Minister has returned from Goa, perhaps he had gone there for a vacation while Delhi is suffering from Chikungunya. People are dying, the situation is worrisome but AAP ministers are on various foreign junkets,” BJP leader Nalin Kohli told ANI here.
Further stating that reports have come in of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia being in Brazil admiring waterfalls while Delhi is battling the vector-borne outbreak, the BJP leader asserted that the AAP-led government was not taking any steps to come out with a solution, but simply enjoying at the expense of the public exchequer.
“They (AAP) are not concerned with serving the people of Delhi, but are only concerned with accusing and creating all kinds of excuses for their lack of governance and ensuring that they will break the law, do whatever they want and enjoy themselves at the expense of the public exchequer,” Kohli said.
After facing accusations of being negligent over the rising number of Chikungunya cases in the national capital, the Delhi Government yesterday turned the tables on the Centre and Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, saying it is them who have to be blamed as they control the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
Addressing a press conference, Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain said, “Two MCD mayors are out of Delhi, ask them why? Their only work is to ensure cleanliness. There are only 40 percent beds under the Delhi Government. We are not denying anyone a bed and have made all facilities available to deal with such cases,” Jain said defending his government.
Denying any “outbreak” of Chikungunya, the Delhi Health Minister stated clearly that there is no outbreak of Chikungunya.
“It has been created by you (media) by spreading panic,” he lashed out.
He also said that there has never been any death due to chikungunya in the world.
“This is media created panic. Please don't spread panic. Prove it medically (death due to Chikungunya). Medically Chikungunya can never b cause of anyone's death,” he said.
Delhi recorded its first case of Chikungunya casualty with the death of a 65-year-old man, who yesterday succumbed to the vector-borne disease. The victim R. Pandey succumbed to the disease at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.
According to reports, Chikungunya cases in the national capital has sharply risen to over 1,000 this season, marking a jump of nearly 90 percent from its count last week.