Congress accuses UP government of hiding data about COVID-19 deaths; demands Adityanath's resignation

New Delhi, May 18: The Congress on Tuesday accused the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh of hiding data about COVID deaths and demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on moral grounds or his dismissal by the governor.

Addressing a joint press conference, Congress leaders Supriya Shrinate and Aradhana Mishra alleged that the Uttar Pradesh government has proved to be a "complete failure in COVID management and is totally insensitive to the pain of the common people".

"Such a government which cannot provide health facilities and honour to those dead has no right to sit in UP Vidhan Sabha," said CLP leader Mishra. "If the chief minister has little sensitivity left, he should resign immediately, else the governor should dismiss the government immediately," she told reporters, citing some strong words from the Allahabad High Court against the government.

There is need for a government that provides security and health to the people of the state, she said. "This government has focussed its energies on denial of facts, destroying of evidence and data manipulation. Had it focussed its energies in fighting COVID instead, the state would not have been pushed to this situation," Mishra said.

Shrinate claimed in Lucknow alone, a large number of death certificates have been issued by the authorities in the last few months which are far above the reported deaths.

She said while official data shows 2,268 deaths in Lucknow in the past year, from April 1 to May 15 this year, a total of 7,890 death certificates were issued, while another 5,970 death certificates were issued from February 15 to April 30. "Why are deaths being hidden? This has put both the central and Uttar Pradesh government in the dock. The people want to know why is this being done and who is responsible for it," Shrinate said.

The Congress has been criticising the Uttar Pradesh government over COVID deaths and alleging that dead bodies are found floating in the river Ganga. It has also accused the Centre and some BJP-ruled states including Gujarat of under reporting data pertaining to COVID deaths.