New Delhi, Jul 22 (IANS): Two days after the Minister of State for Health Bharti Pravin Pawar informed the Rajya Sabha that no one died due to shortage of oxygen during the second wave of the Covid pandemic, Congress Rajya Sabha MP K.C. Venugopal on Thursday moved a privilege motion against her.

A Privilege notice is given by Venugopal in the Rajya Sabha, against Pawar for misleading the Parliament by saying that 'no deaths were reported by any State or UT because of Oxygen shortage'.

Speaking to media on Tuesday, Venugopal had said that "this is a blind and unconcerned government. People have seen how many of their near and dear ones have died because of lack of oxygen".

Venugopal, on whose question the minister had replied in the House, had said everyone has seen how people died due to shortage of oxygen in several states, including the national capital.

"Actually, the minister misled the House and I will move a privilege notice against that minister definitely because the minister misguided and misled the House by giving false information," he had said.

The government informed the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday that no deaths due to lack of oxygen were specifically reported by states and union territories during the second wave of Covid.

Pawar in a written reply had said, "Detailed guidelines for reporting of deaths have been issued by the Union Health Ministry to all states and UTs. Accordingly, all states and UTs report cases and deaths to the Union Health Ministry on a regular basis. However, no deaths due to lack of oxygen have been specifically reported by states and UTs."