On Monday, the District Magistrate of Agra fact-checked the outlandish claims made by Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Twitter about the supposed deaths of 28 Coronavirus positive people in the past 48 hours. The tweet stated that a total of 1,136 Coronavirus cases and 79 deaths have been reported in Agra in the past 109 days.
..अगर यूपी सरकार सच दबाकर कोरोना मामले में इसी तरह लगातार लापरवाही करती रही तो बहुत घातक होने वाला है। 2/2
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) June 22, 2020
Citing a Navbharat Times report, Gandhi claimed that in a span of 48 hours, as many as 28 coronavirus patients had died in Agra. She also accused the UP government of suppressing the facts. However, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra herself was quite removed from facts. 28 people did not die within span of just 48 hours. In reality, 28 people, over period of time and few weeks, died within 48 hours of their being admitted in the hospital.
The District Magistrate took to Twitter to explain the facts to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in simpler language.
Last 5 days sampling in #Agra
— District Magistrate Agra (@OfficeOfDMAgra) June 22, 2020
Date/No. Of Sample/No. Of Sample of Positive Contact
21-6-20 238 59
20-6-20 272 38
19-6-20 307 65
18-6-20 295 81
17-6-20 308 64@PrabhuNs_ @UPGovt
The DM even gave the figure of testing being carried out in Agra.
Agra DM asks Priyanka Gandhi to withdraw tweet
In a statement to Priyanka Gandhi, the District Magistrate of Agra has asked the Congress leader to ensure that she condemns the said tweet which aims to stir fear and confusion among the masses. Reiterating that the information contained in her tweet was false and baseless, the email emphasised, “Ensure that the tweet is dismissed/condemned within 24 hours so that accurate information is disseminated to common citizens and stakeholders, besides guaranteeing that the frontline workers are not demoralised. “
However, after being schooled on facts, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra again took to Twitter to claim that Agra’s death rate is higher than that of Mumbai and Delhi and demanded an answer from the government within 48 hours on the same.
.. में धकेलने के जिम्मेदार कौन हैं?
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) June 23, 2020
मुख्यमंत्रीजी 48 घंटे के भीतर जनता को इसका स्पष्टीकरण दें और कोविड मरीजों की स्थिति और संख्या में की जा रही हेराफेरी पर जवाबदेही बनाएँ। 2/2
Congress lies amidst Coronavirus pandemic
This is not the first time that the Congress party or its leaders tried to spread fear and panic among citizens, using manipulated data and misleading news stories. In one such attempt, the Congress party posted a chart to claim that India has the highest number of Coronavirus cases in the world. But in doing so, the party exposed itself as even the wrong chart did not show what they were trying to prove.
Amid the migrant worker crisis, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had resorted to playing petty politics by claiming that Congress will arrange for buses for migrants but UP government is not giving permission. Later, when the state government gave permission, the ‘buses’ arranged for by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra included buses with included autorickshaws and buses with expired registration.
In March, she had posted pictures from Rajasthan and Pakistan of hailstorm destroying crops while claiming those are from Uttar Pradesh to defame Yogi government. However, after netizens pointed it out, she deleted her tweet.
