Centre working round-the-clock, PM Narendra Modi 18-19 hours, says Piyush Goyal on `politics` over COVID-19

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said the government has been fighting a battle against the disease without any discrimination and `politics should not be done on the issue`.

New Delhi: Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday (April 18) stated that the union government is working round-the-clock to support the states in COVID-19 management amid an unprecedented surge in infections in the country. 

The Commerce and Industry Minister also said that the union government has been fighting a battle against COVID-19 without any discrimination and "politics should not be done on the issue".

Piyush Goyal, while outlining the Centre’s dedication in the fight against COVID-19, stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is working for 18-19 hours a day. Adding that PM Modi reviewed the situation of the pandemic in India after returning from the campaign in West Bengal.

Expressing his concerns over the opposition's motive, Piyush Goyal, in an apparent reference to Congress President Sonia Gandhi and the NCP leader’s remarks, said he felt bad at attempts to give political colour to the issue.

"Politics should not be played over this (COVID management). The central government has been fighting a battle against COVID-19 without any discrimination. I felt bad when some people and a prominent political party tried to give political colours to the issue," Goyal said.

He said, “after an elaborate meeting with 12 worst-affected states and union territories, the central government did mapping on medical oxygen requirements. 6,177 metric tonnes of oxygen has been finalized to be distributed to states and Maharashtra will get the biggest share of 1,500 metric tonnes of oxygen.”

"The Centre is working round-the-clock to support the state government in COVID management. The Prime Minister is working for 18-19 hours. After returning from the campaign, he reviewed the situation of the pandemic in India. He called me at 1 am (yesterday) to take details of the situation," Goyal said.

The Union minister also took a dig at opposition leaders by saying, "the leader who is unable to run the government efficiently needs to worry about presenting their work".

The minister also added that a green corridor is being created for the fast movement of Oxygen Express Trains to facilities for the smooth transport of oxygen to states amid the surge in COVID-19 cases.

Earlier, on Saturday, Congress President Sonia Gandhi accused the BJP-led government of "preferential treatment" to some states. 

Additionally, Maharashtra Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Nawab Malik also questioned Centre in a tweet on Saturday over the available resources to fight the COVID-19 situation in the country.  Nawab Malik in his tweet called upon Goyal to tell how much oxygen is produced in our country and how much oxygen has been given to Maharashtra.

Meanwhile, India reported its highest-ever single-day spike of COVID-19 cases with 2,61,500 new COVID-19 cases and 1,501 deaths in the last 24 hours on Sunday.