Chennai, Jul 22 (IANS): AIADMK Coordinator and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam on Thursday hit out at Health Minister Ma Subramanian's statement that there had been no deaths in the state due to oxygen shortage, saying it "is like hiding a full pumpkin in a plate of rice".

In support of his argument, he cited Chief Minister M.K. Stalin's May 7 letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in which he had said: "The availability of oxygen in Tamil Nadu is very very critical and there was an unfortunate incident of 13 deaths at Chengalpattu 2 days ago."

In the letter, Stalin had stated the oxygen demand in Tamil Nadu is expected to shoot up to 840 tons from 440 tons in two weeks time.

Panneerselvam said when one compares Stalin's letter to Modi and Subramanian's statement, "the contradiction will be clearly visible".

He said that "doubt has risen in the minds of people on the statistics provided by the DMK government" and Stalin should deliberate and come out with the true state of affairs.