Rahul demands correct Covid toll from Centre

New Delhi, Nov 24 (Representative) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday demanded that the Centre must release the correct figures of Covid-19-related deaths and also compensate each family, who lost someone to the coronavirus pandemic, with Rs 4 lakh. “The Congress party has two demands, the first one, government should reveal the correct figures of Covid-19 deaths, and secondly, Rs 4 lakh compensation should be given to the families, who have lost their loved ones due to Covid #4LakhDenaHoga,” Gandhi tweeted. “If a government exists, then people’s suffering must be addressed and compensation should be given,” he tweeted. Rahul also tweeted a video on Covid-19 victims families from Gujarat. In the video, the families narrated their experience during the pandemic. In the video, Rahul Gandhi said: “During the Covid pandemic, the truth of Gujarat’s development model was exposed.”

He shared several news items and mock the “Gujarat’s development model”. “There is a lot of discussion about the Gujarat model. All the families that we spoke to all have said that, during Covid they could neither manage beds, nor oxygen or ventilators,” he said. He also alleged that around 3 lakh people have died due to Covid in Gujarat alone, but the state government claimed that only 10,000 people have died due to the pandemic. He said, the compensation should be given to 3 lakh people but “today in Gujarat as per the Gujarat’s ‘development model’, only 10,000 people are given Rs 50,000”. Rahul also said: “Under the National Disaster Management Authority, the government on March 14, 2020, notified the commitment to provide Rs 4 lakh compensation to the next of kin of all those who died due to Covid-19. However, later it was reduced it to Rs 50,000 only. “Congress party demanded Rs 4 lakh compensation for every family who have lost someone due to Covid-19,” he said.