Goyal slams Thackeray over oxygen, Remdesivir supply

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, April 17

A vicious war of words erupted today between the BJP-led Centre and the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra over the supply of medical oxygen and Remdesivir to the state, with the two accusing each other of propagating “half-truths, lies and falsehoods” and being inept at handling the situation.

Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Nawab Malik also alleged that the Centre had asked 16 export companies “not to supply” Remdesivir to the state. Terming it a “dangerous precedent”, Malik said the state government would have no choice but to seize the stock of Remdesivir from these exporters and supply to the needy. Meanwhile, reports quoting CMO sources claimed that when CM Uddhav Thackeray called the PMO for an urgent supply of medical oxygen and Remdesivir, “he was told that PM is in Bengal and will contact him when he is back”. Union Minister Piyush Goyal said, “Maharashtra is suffering from an inept and corrupt government and Centre is doing its best for the people.” He said Maharashtra had so far received the highest quantity of oxygen in the country.

“The government has diverted all available oxygen from industrial to medical use. In the review meet, the PM said the Centre and states should work in synergy in this crisis,” he said.