Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Sunday said the government is providing correct figures related to coronavirus everyday to the people, as the Delhi High Court refused to entertain a plea seeking its direction to the AAP government to come out with actual figures of Covid-19 cases and the death count.
"I am glad that the Delhi High Court has put an end to ugly politics being played by some opposition leaders on such a sensitive issue. The Delhi government is providing correct figures related to corona(virus) everyday to the people," Sisodia tweeted.
The Delhi High Court in its order suggested that the said data should be published "only after proper analysis".
A division bench of the High Court presided by Chief Justice D.N. Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan in the order said: "We expect from the Death Audit Committee and the respondents that they will publish the data only after proper analysis of the data supplied by the Central Government-run hospitals, State Government-run hospitals and Private hospitals in Delhi. The data shall be maintained properly by the aforesaid Committee of experts and by the respondent/Government."
The court was hearing a petition filed by All India Lawyers' Union that sought direction to the Delhi government to publish the data relating to confirmed cases of Covid-19 and deaths through a daily bulletin.
While disposing of the said petition the court said there are no basis for the allegations to the effect that the Committee is not working properly.
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party said that after the High Court order declaring Delhi government's COVID death figures correct, BJP should apologise for playing politics over the dead.
Party National Spokesperson and MLA Raghav Chadha said that it is clear now that the Bharatiya Janata Party is playing dirty politics with the number of deaths in Delhi due to COVID-19, "after the Delhi High Court upheld the accuracy and sanctity of death figures published by AAP Government".
He told the media that the High Court has concluded that there is no arbitrariness, discrimination or fabrication of data.
Chadha slammed the BJP saying that the BJP must apologise to the people of Delhi and the government of Delhi for indulging in baseless, motivated and malicious campaign.
"The BJP must apologise to the people of Delhi and the government of Delhi for indulging in baseless, motivated and malicious campaign when the entire world is coming together to serve the people. I think this HC judgement is a tight slap on the face of the BJP and they should immediately apologize for this absolutely frivolous and politically motivated allegation."
Chadha said the court has noted that the Death Audit Committee is a competent authority comprising of experts and the data published by the Delhi government is free from any discrimination and fabrication.
He added that the BJP chose to play dirty politics even at the time of such a massive health and humanitarian crisis by leveling baseless allegations against the Delhi government regarding death figures.
Chadha also said the court has upheld the sanctity of figures of deaths published by AAP Govt.
He added that Delhi has a lower death rate than other states of the country.
Talking about the increasing number of cases in Delhi Chadha explained that the focus should be on the number of deaths due to COVID-19.
"The Delhi government is working 24/7 to reduce the death rate due to the COVID-19. The Delhi government has kept the number of deaths under control and in comparison with other states, Delhi has a lower death rate due to COVID-19. The Delhi government is giving the best health care to the people, therefore, the people are getting cured and going back home," he said.
Till Sunday, 261 deaths were reported in the national capital due to coronavirus.
The total cases have crossed 13,000-mark.
( With inputs from IANS )