'We don't do fake COVID tests in Delhi': Kejriwal's scathing reply to Yogi's attack

In a sharp response to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s comparison between the COVID-19 deaths in Uttar Pradesh and the national capital, his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday accused the BJP-led government of conducting fake Coronavirus tests.

"Yogi ji, our (AAP's) great work against Coronavirus pandemic is being discussed in every street and town of Uttar Pradesh. We do not conduct fake COVID-19 tests in Delhi like you," he tweeted in Hindi.

Comparing the number of fatalities with Delhi, Adityanath had said that UP has the lowest COVID-19 positivity and mortality rates.

"Despite being the most populous state, UP has given the best results for COVID management. Two months back the state had 68,000 active cases and now it's less than 18,000. UP has conducted the maximum number of tests; we have the lowest positivity rate and lowest mortality rate," the CM said.

"If you compare this to Delhi, UP has a population of 24 crores and has 8,000 deaths, while Delhi, with a population of 1.75 crores, has recorded 10,000 deaths," he added.

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'Adityanath only thinks about AAP and Delhi'

Kejriwal hit back by saying that Adityanath can only think about the Delhi government and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) while waking up and even while going to sleep. "The work done by Delhi towards combating the COVID-19 crisis is being discussed in every street of UP," he added.

In his tweet, Delhi CM also referred to a news report, which stated that fake names were being registered in Bareilly to show a rise in Covid-19 testing.

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‘Invitation for open debate on Dec 22’

Earlier, the AAP chief compared Delhi with Uttar Pradesh over the work done in the education sector, following which Basic Education Minister Satish Dwivedi on Tuesday invited Kejriwal and his deputy Manish Sisodia to visit the schools in Uttar Pradesh, stating that it will “open their eyes”.

Sisodia, who is also Delhi's Education Minister, responded to Dwivedi's invitation, saying that he would visit Lucknow on December 22 and called for an open debate on government schools in both states.

"Manish ji is coming to Lucknow to debate on December 22 at the invitation of your minister," Kejriwal said, addressing Adityanath.

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AAP to Assembly contest polls in Uttar Pradesh

The two governments have been exchanging barbs over COVID-19 management ever since CM Arvind Kejriwal announced that the Aam Aadmi Party will contest the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections in 2022. AAP had already begun its expansion in Uttar Pradesh, appointing its party leader Sanjay Singh as the chief of its state wing. Earlier, in August, the party had appointed Abhinav Rai as co-in-charge of the party's Uttar Pradesh unit, Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh had announced. 

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Kejriwal said, "Aam Aadmi Party will contest UP Assembly polls in 2022. Political parties in UP stabbed people in the back, politics in state lacks honesty of intent. Development of Uttar Pradesh is held back by dirty politics and corrupt leaders there. Many people from UP are coming to me and saying that AAP should contest from the state. People of Uttar Pradesh should also get those services which Delhi people are getting." 

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(With inputs from agency)