Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday claimed that 40 lakh Indians died during the coronavirus pandemic due to the government’s “negligence” and once again demanded that all families of the deceased be given Rs four lakh compensation each.

Taking to Twitter, Gandhi shared the screenshot of a New York Times report which claimed that India is stalling the WHO’s efforts to make global Covid death toll public. “Modi ji neither speaks the truth, nor lets others speak. He still lies that no one died due to oxygen shortage!” Gandhi charged in a tweet in Hindi along with the screenshot of the report. “I had said earlier also due to the negligence of the government during Covid, not five lakh, but 40 lakh Indians died,” the former Congress chief said.

“Fulfil your responsibility, Modi ji give compensation of Rs four lakh to every (Covid) victim’s family,” Gandhi said.

India on Saturday questioned the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) methodology to estimate COVID-19 mortalities in the country, saying using such a mathematical modelling cannot be applied to estimate the death figures for such a vast nation of geographical size and population. The Union Health Ministry issued a statement in response to the article titled ‘India Is Stalling WHO’s Efforts to Make Global Covid Death Toll Public’ dated April 16, saying the country has on several occasions shared its concerns with the global health body over the methodology used.

The Congress has been alleging that the government has not released the actual COVID-19 death figures and has demanded a compensation of Rs four lakh to the family members of the deceased. According to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday, the death toll from Covid has climbed to 5,21,751 with four fresh fatalities.

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