Congress files complaint against Goa CM, health minister over COVID-related deaths

North Goa (Goa) [India], May 17 (ANI): The Congress on Monday filed a police complaint against Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Health Minister Viswajit Rane, claiming that their "sheer incompetence, mismanagement and criminal negligence" led to the "deaths of hundreds of COVID patients due to oxygen shortage".

In the complaint filed at Agacaim police station, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Girish Chodankar stated that Sawant and Rane are solely responsible for the death of hundreds of people in Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) since April 2021 till date due to lack of oxygen.

"Thereby they have committed the offences under section 302, 304, 337, 338 read with 34, of the Indian Penal Code, 1860," Chodankar said.

He has pointed out that despite the Goa Association of Resident Doctors (GARD) flagging the oxygen shortage, the government failed to rectify the deficiencies and on the contrary government officials now, after 15 days of letter from GARD, said that deaths are taking place in GMC due to logistical issue in supply of oxygen.

While speaking to the media, Chodankar said this complaint is not politically motivated but lodged in public interest.

"We want to fight for innocent people who lost life due to the fault of the CM and the Health Minister and we want to give justice to the affected families," he added.

Goa has as many as 28,252 active COVID-19 patients at present. (ANI)