In an interview with ANI which was mainly focused to the Centre and Delhi Government’s efforts to curb the spread of the Coronavirus in the nation’s capital, Home Minister Amit Shah said a number of steps had been taken to contain the virus and multi-agency meetings had been held to improve coordination at various levels.
Home Minister Amit Shah said that as Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said in early June about the national capital reaching 5.5 lakh COVID-19 cases by the end of July had created “fear” among people and he expressed confidence that the stage will not be reached. He also said that there was no community transmission of the disease in the national capital.
#WATCH After Delhi Deputy CM made a statement that by July 31 we will have 5.5 lakh COVID19 cases in Delhi…there was panic. I am sure now we will not reach that stage and will be in a much better situation because we stressed on preventive measures: HM Amit Shah to ANI pic.twitter.com/CtKDFHHejB
— ANI (@ANI) June 28, 2020
“Around the second week of June, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that by July 31 there will be 5.50 lakh persons infected with the virus. He said that there will be no place left, no beds left and the situation will be difficult. This created a lot of fear in the minds of people in Delhi. His estimate was based on figures. I do not want to go into whether estimate was right or wrong. But a situation of fear arose and some people started mulling an exodus (out of Delhi),” said Amit Shah.
“Till June 15, there will be 44,000 COVID-19 cases and we would need 6,600 beds. We would hit one lakh cases and would require 15,000 beds by June 30. There will be around 2.25 lakh cases till July 15 and COVID-19 cases will reach around 5.5 lakh by July 31,” Sisodia had said after a meeting of the state disaster management authority chaired by Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal in early June.
Amit Shah disagreed with the prediction made by the Delhi Deputy CM.”I can say now with confidence that situation of 5.5 lakh cases will not come on July 31,” he added. “We will be in good condition by July 31st because we have laid stress on preventive steps including more tests and contact tracing,” Shah claimed.
When asked about the difference of opinion between the Centre and Delhi Government on announcing whether ‘Community Spread’ of the Coronavirus had begun in Delhi, Amit Shah said that Delhi had not reached that state yet and if and when that stage would come, the Central government would not hesitate in making the announcement.
मैं देश के गृह मंत्री के नाते पूरी दिल्ली की जनता को आश्वस्त करता हूँ कि अभी तक दिल्ली में कम्युनिटी ट्रांसमिशन की स्थिति नहीं आई है।
जून माह के शुरूआती दिनों की तुलना में अब दिल्ली की स्थिति में सुधार हो रहा है, किसी भी दिल्लीवासी को घबराने की कोई जरूरत नहीं है। pic.twitter.com/SG5U4Bnln7
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) June 28, 2020
“I have talked to three officials – Dr Paul (from Niti Aayog), IMCR chief Dr Bhargava and Dr Guleria (AIIMS New Delhi Director). Such situation appeared because of the total tests done, earlier 30 per cent turned out to be positive and that was happening because tests were done at the last moment. Now that we have started doing 20,000 tests per day on average, this condition is not there. I have held technical discussions on this…today this situation is not there in Delhi. There is no need to fear,” he said. “We have reduced the Cost for Corona Tests and other medical facilities” he added.
Home Minister Amit Shah also referred to Delhi government’s decision about hospitals reserving COVID-19 beds only for residents of the national capital. The Home Minister said even he is from outside Delhi. “Where will I go, if something happens to me. Delhi is the capital of the country. And people from different states stay here, come and go,” he said, adding that a lot of people from neighbouring states stay in Delhi.
“There is coordination…Arvind Kejriwal is always kept in the loop. He is also involved in decision making. Some political statements may have been made but no impact on decision making” HM Amit Shah said on controversies regarding some decisions taken on Delhi’s COVID19 battle.
He said shortcomings came to attention in the meetings he held about the Covid situation in Delhi and it was decided that every house in containment zone in Delhi will be surveyed by June 30. The Home minister said that testing was also ramped up.