Tensions rose during an official online meeting over coronavirus crisis between the Delhi government and the Union health ministry on Thursday.
Gautam Buddh Nagar, adjoining Delhi, in western Uttar Pradesh has so far recorded eights deaths due to the novel coronavirus. (Photo: Reuters)
Capital’s Covid-19 figures are increasing in big numbers every day and so is the intensity of politics around it. Tensions rose during an official online meeting between the Delhi government and the Union health ministry on Thursday. The meeting was although to discuss the Delhi government’s preparation for Covid-19 with the central health ministry, but, because it was in the back drop of a major tussle over the test reports between central government’s Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and the Delhi government, the meeting took different dimensions.
Just a few hours ahead of the meeting, Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain blamed RML hospital for giving delayed and wrong results. Later, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan grabbed an opportunity during the meeting and hit back at the Delhi government.
During the meeting when Jain was raising the issue of discrepancies in testing by the central government-run hospital, Vardhan abruptly objected and intervened. He categorically told the Delhi Health Minitser that it is not proper on their part to raise questions on the pathologists as they are working in a professional manner. “They are not turning any positive report into negative and viceversa,” he said.
The union minister also said that the Centre is increasing the testing capacity.
