BJP BLAMES AAP FOR OXYGEN CRISIS IN CAPITAL, CITES LETTER FROM HOME SECY

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has blamed the Delhi government for the current oxygen supply crisis in Delhi, citing a letter from Union home secretary Ajay Bhalla to Delhi chief secretary Vijay Dev on April 25, claiming Delhi was “unable to arrange tankers” even though the central government had made an allotment of oxygen for the city-state.

In the letter dated April 25, 2021, Bhalla wrote, “Delhi government has hardly been able to arrange any tankers so far though many crucial days have passed since the Government of India made allotment of oxygen. You are requested to urgently take immediate action in this regard...” The Union ministry of home affairs did not comment on the letter, when asked by Hindustan Times.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal recently said that Delhi was not getting its entire allotment of oxygen made by the Centre. But the Centre attributed this to logistical issues. “It has been brought to my notice that Delhi has received less supply than its actual allocation made by the Government of India largely due to logistical issues which are not at all addressed by the state government...,” read Bhalla’s letter.

Hitting out at the CM, Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta said, “The CM had announced that there is an acute shortage of oxygen in the city. But the government is showing no seriousness in bringing home its enhanced quota of oxygen despite the Union home secretary writing to Delhi’s chief secretary about this.”

Delhi BJP spokesperson Harish Khurana said, “The Kejriwal government is responsible for the present crisis.”

Neither chief secretary Vijay Dev nor Delhi government spokespeople commented on allegations by BJP or the letter sent by Bhalla till the time of going to press.