Delhi has been battling with a deteriorating Covid crisis. The Delhi government’s inability to handle oxygen supply was recently heavily criticised by the Delhi High Court.
On 29 April, Delhi recorded 395 deaths due to Covid, the national capital’s highest single day death toll since the beginning of the pandemic. Yesterday, it also registered 24,235 new cases with a Test Positivity Rate of over 32.82%. The number of containment zones in the city have increased from 33,749 on 28 April to 35,924 on 30 April.
Amid acute shortage of medical oxygen, hospital beds and critical medicine that seems to be spiralling out of control, Aam Aadmi Party MLA from Delhi’s Matia Mahal constituency Shoaib Iqbal has appealed for the President’s rule in the national capital.
https://twitter.com/pri_kandpal/status/1387965278655455234?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwIn a video message, Shoaib Iqbal stated that he is feeling helpless seeing the condition of Delhi struggling in the Covid crisis. He stated that a very close friend of him is battling for his life in a hospital. The AAP MLA stated that despite trying, he could not arrange for oxygen, ventilator or critical medicines for his friend.
I am a six-time MLA, but feeling helpless now: Shoaib Iqbal
Iqbal stated that despite being one of the senior-most MLAs in Delhi, he is nether able to arrange for a ventilator or medicines for his friend, and his friend may die anytime now, leaving behind a helpless family. He told to Times Now that there is no communication channel to address issues. The MLA stated that the situation is so bad that if it goes on like this, soon there will be dead bodies piled up on the roads.
Iqbal stated further that his own conscience has made him appeal for President’s rule as he is not able to watch the worsening crisis in Delhi. He highlighted that there has been no co-ordination, no communication channel or no discussion betwee the ministers and MLAs of AAP on how to handle the crisis. He lamented the lack of communication that is leading to deaths and scarcity in the capital.
Congress, BJP support the demand
The BJP in Delhi has supported Iqbal’s demand. As per a report in Navbharat Times, BJP leaders have stated that Iqbal is right and the Kejriwal government is no longer capable of handling the healthcare crisis in Delhi. Congress’ Delhi chief Anil Choudhary had demanded President’s rule on April 28, stating that the Kejriwal government has been a complete failure in performing its constitutional duties.