WHO report on Covid deaths is a slap on Centre's face: Congress

Hyderabad: All India Congress Committee spokesperson and Telangana Congress leader Dr Dasoju Sravan termed World Health Organisation's report revealing 40 lakh Covid-19 deaths in India as a slap on the face of the BJP-led Union government.

Saying that both the Centre and the State governments have been under reporting and hiding Covid deaths just to cover up their failures in handling the pandemic, Dr Sravan demanded both the governments to conduct fresh audit of Covid deaths and provide compensation to the families of all the deceased. "WHO's report stating that Covid-19 deaths in India were around 40 lakh is a tight slap on the face of Government of India. It is shameful that instead of taking corrective measures, the Modi Sarkar is questioning the methodology of WHO and trying to hide actual figures only to cover its absolute failure in handling the pandemic in India," the Congress leader alleged.

Raising serious concerns over Centre's stance to depend on States for assessing the Covid deaths, he said the Congress had demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the second wave itself in last July to take up the responsibility of assessing the correct figures of deaths, as Telangana government had grossly underreported Covid deaths to hide its failures in Covid management.

He said he was compelled to approach High Court seeking directions to appoint Apex Death Audit Committee. "The case is still pending and the Telangana government is making its best effort to mislead not only the people of the State, but also the High Court," he alleged.