From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, June 27: Taking the initiative of offering cheques of Rs 1 lakh each to the dependents of the 36 persons who died due to oxygen shortage in the Chamarajanagar hospital from the Congress party, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President D K Shivakumar said BJP leaders and ministers were scared of facing people who lost their loved ones and suffered due to the Covid pandemic and also the failures of the government in controlling the spread of the disease.

Speaking to reporters after presenting cheques of Rs 1 lac each to some of the dependents of the deceased in the Chamarajanagar hospital due to shortage of hospital on Sunday, the KPCC chief said the state government had initially claimed that just three persons died in the Chamarajanagar hospital incident due to oxygen shortage.

When the party visited the district and the hospital, the deaths of 26 persons came to light. The state government, which took Suo Motu cognizance of the issue deputed a team headed by retired High Court to ascertain facts when it was discovered that as many as 36 persons had lost their lives, he said.

Shivakumar said the deaths of the people in the Chamarajanagar district hospital cannot be termed as mere deaths but must be termed as murders, and attacked the state government for its failure to take any action on the issue so far.

The State Congress chief attacked the union government for not honouring the commitment of paying Rs 4 lac each as compensation to the dependents of people who died due to Covid under the Disaster Management Act as the pandemic has been declared as a disaster and reneged on the commitment. The Andhra Pradesh government has announced a compensation of Rs 10 lac each. However, nobody from the State Government visited the families of the deceased in the Chamarajanagar hospital tragedy and did nothing to alleviate their sufferings, he said.

Shivakumar warmly appreciated the State High Court for ordering payment of compensation of Rs 2 lac to the families of the deceased. "I am grateful to the High Court and extend my gratitude on behalf of the people,’’ he said and mentioned that he has taken the initiative of meeting the families and paying a compensation of Rs 1 lac each from the party.

"Chief minister B S Yediyurappa may be from Shivamogga district but he should remember that he is the chief minister for the entire State. Let the chief minister treat all people, especially those who suffer and lost their loved ones like his own,’’ he said and wondered why none of the ministers bothered to visit Chamarajanagar and meet the people even if the chief minister is unable to do so.

"Why did the district in charge minister, health minister or the Covid in charge minister not visit the district and meet the people. All of them want to be in Bengaluru and are engaged in the power struggle. But they are not bothered about the people,’’ he said.

Shivakumar said the state government was claiming that the deaths due to Covid were barely 30,000 while death certificates are issued for 3 lac persons. It is for this reason and to put an end to the confusion that the Congress party is demanding a death audit, he said and warned that the party would take up the issue in the State Legislature.

The KPCC chief said the Congress party workers would be visiting houses of all families which suffered deaths due to Covid or faced other difficulties including loss of jobs or losses and collect details and submit applications to the Tahsildars of taluks or deputy commissioners of the districts concerned seeking compensation from the government. The Congress party will raise these issues in the State Legislature and fight for the people, he declared.