Patna, Jul 21 (IANS): RJD leader Tej Pratap Yadav has slammed Union Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar's statement that no Covid-19 death occurred due to lack of oxygen in the country.

Yadav, a former health minister of Bihar, claimed that the Union minister is "telling lies" and misleading the country and she will be exposed if states give actual data of deaths during the second wave of Covid this year.

"The Union minister is telling lies. There were several persons who died due to lack of oxygen in my constituency Hasanpur in Samastipur district," Yadav said.

"The state government hides the actual reasons for deaths during the second wave of Covid. I want to tell the state and central governments that no one can hide the truth. It automatically comes out before the public. The common people of India especially in Bihar know the actual facts. They are trying to mislead the people," Yadav alleged.

Pawar in a written reply in Parliament said that health is a state subject and the data was provided by all states and they have not mentioned the deaths that happened due to lack of oxygen in the country.

The question was asked by Congress MP K.C. Venugopal.

The Union minister however admitted that the demand for oxygen has increased in the country.