Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal on Saturday slammed Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray for playing petty politics on the issue of depleting oxygen supply in the state. Goyal said that Maharashtra has so far received the highest quantity of oxygen in India and the Centre is in daily touch with State Governments to assess their needs and help them in the best possible manner.
In a series of tweets, Goyal criticised Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray for using the solemn issue of scarcity of oxygen supply in the state to attack the central government.
Maharashtra has so far received the highest quantity of Oxygen in India.
— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) April 17, 2021
Centre is in daily touch with State Governments to assess their needs & help them in best possible manner.
“We are currently producing 110% of Oxygen generating capacity and diverting all available Oxygen from industrial use to medical use,” Goyal tweeted, adding that PM Modi had asked in his review meeting that centre and the states should work in synergy to avert the crisis staring the country.
Mr Goyal said he is shocked and saddened to see petty politics played by Uddhav Thackeray, stating that he needs to stop his daily dose of shameless politics and take responsibility.
Maharashtra is suffering from an inept & corrupt government & the Centre is doing its best for the people.
— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) April 17, 2021
People of Maharashtra are following ‘Majha Kutumb, Majhi Javabadari’ dutifully. It is time the CM also follows his duties in the spirit of ‘Majha Rajya, Majhi Javabadari’
Alleging that Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra failed in handling the coronavirus outbreak, Goyal tweeted, “Maharashtra is suffering from an inept & corrupt government & the Centre is doing its best for the people. People of Maharashtra are following ‘Majha Kutumb, Majhi Javabadari’ dutifully. It is time the CM also follows his duties in the spirit of ‘Majha Rajya, Majhi Javabadari’.”
It is pertinent to note that the Indian Railways on Saturday moved to allow transportation of liquid medical oxygen in cryogenic tankers after the Maharashtra government’s request to meet the shortage of the gas used for Covid-19 patients in the state.
Goyal’s sharp remarks came on the heels of Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray’s repeated attempts to hold the centre responsible for not providing enough oxygen to Maharashtra to treat the rising number of critical coronavirus patients that need supplemental oxygen to tide over the COVID-19 infection. The chief minister’s office today claimed that Uddhav Thackeray called the Prime Minister office for an urgent supply of oxygen and Remdesivir, but was told that PM is in Bengal and will contact him when he is back.
While Maharashtra is collapsing Uddhav is busy playing dirty politics over oxygen supply pic.twitter.com/QSM7gKMqX9
— Political Kida (@PoliticalKida) April 17, 2021
As the coronavirus outbreak in the state turned grim, in what appears as an attempt to abdicate their duties and pin the blame on the Centre, Thackeray and his ministers have been lamenting that the Maharashtra government is not being provided with sufficient oxygen supplies to treat those in need of oxygen. However, the reality is starkly different from what they would have us believe.
Centre writes a letter to chief secretaries of states and UTs, dispels misinformation about the restrictions on inter-state movement of Medical Oxygen
The central government has also come down hard against the propaganda run by the Maharashtra government alleging that the centre is not helping the state in fulfilling its demand for supplemental oxygen. In a letter addressed to all state chief secretaries, the central government has enlisted the measures taken by them to ensure supplemental oxygen is made available to states and union territories who need it.
वैद्यकीय प्राणवायू पुरवठ्याबाबत कान उपटल्यावर मविआ मंत्री रेमेडिसीविरच्या पुरवठ्याबाबत अपप्रचार लागलेत.पुरव्यासाठी सोबतचे पत्र
— Pratik Karpe (@CAPratikKarpe) April 17, 2021
Centre Govt had come hard on state secretary on oxygen movement and its scarcity,Maha Vasuli Ministers started their politics with their PR agents(१/२) pic.twitter.com/Z3s7cGzhi9
The letter said that no restriction on the movement of Medical Oxygen between States and Union Territories is imposed. It also added that the transport authorities will be instructed to accordingly allow free inter-state movement of oxygen carrying vehicles.
Besides, the centre also assured the states and union territories that no restrictions shall be imposed on oxygen manufacturers and suppliers to limit the oxygen supplies only to the states in which they are located. Additionally, the Centre communicated that there will be free movement of oxygen carrying vehicles into the cities, without any restriction of timing, while ensuring the inter-city supply without restrictions. The Centre has asked the States and Union Territories to strictly follow the guidelines.
The central government wrote a letter addressed to the Maharashtra chief secretary in which it enlisted the measures taken by the Centre to facilitate oxygen supply to states and union territories.
