Death of COVID-19 patients due to lack of oxygen serious: Raut

Talking to reporters here, he said, "All chief ministers need to be in constant touch with each other. Let''s help each other to defeat the pandemic. Don''t hide COVID-19 facts in the states." 

Raut also said that the incident of bodies found floating in a river was scary. 

As per reports, over 50 bodies have been found floating in the Ganga river in Ballia district of Uttar Pradesh so far. 

"Death of patients due to non-availability of oxygen in different parts of the country is a serious matter. There was a shortage of oxygen in Maharashtra also, but the state government handled the situation well," he said. 

Raut said the national task force set up by the Supreme Court for formulating a methodology for the scientific allocation of oxygen to the states has a huge responsibility before it. 

The Sena leader said that the editorial in party mouthpiece ''Saamana'' had highlighted out of genuine concern the Congress''s defeat in the recent Assembly elections in some states. 

"We highlighted out of genuine concern that Congress is a national party and had to face defeats, especially in Kerala and Assam, where it had a chance to defeat the incumbent governments. Even Sonia Gandhi highlighted similar points in her CWC address," he said. 

Raut took a jibe at state Congress chief Nana Patole, who said he doesn''t read ''Saamana''. 

Raut said, "Saamana has to be read in Delhi and at the local level. Many have to formulate their policies accordingly. What ''Saamana'' can do was seen during the government change after the 2019 assembly elections. 

"More than what local leaders say, we are interested in what national leaders say about the national issues," he added. 

Patole had earlier said he has stopped reading ''Saamana'' and the Shiv Sena should not comment his party and its leadership.