Yogi Adityanath came under severe criticism in April and May over the handling of the pandemic in Uttar Pradesh. Hundreds of dead bodies were found floating in the Ganga, a sight that brought disrepute to his government.
In his latest interview, the Chief Minister of India’s most populous State has opened up on the issue. He said that his government has conducted the maximum number of Covid-19 tests and that its Test Positivity Rate is among the lowest in the country. The BJP leader, who will seek a mandate from the people of his State in early 2022, also observed that the shortage of oxygen and beds was artificial when the second wave ravaged UP this Summer.
Speaking to a national daily, Yogi said, “In many places, people reserved beds for themselves in hospitals. They made their staff occupy the beds, while the needy did not get a bed.”
Yogi, who defended his government’s track record on Covid-19, also said that hospitals in his State treated patients from neighbouring Delhi in good numbers.
