Former MLA and Delhi Congress leader Alka Lamba on Thursday slammed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the national capital, saying that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal should shoulder the blame for the rapid spread of Covid cases in the fourth wave of the pandemic in the city.

Addressing a press conference virtually, Lamba said, "Covid cases touched a record high of 17,282 on Wednesday with 104 people succumbing to the virus. The city is witnessing a terrible situation, as the hospitals have virtually run out of Covid beds, particularly ICU beds with ventilators, while the crematoriums and burial grounds are unable to cope with the rush of bodies."

The Congress leader said that when Covid cases were surging again, Delhi Congress President Anil Kumar Chaudhary had appealed to the Chief Minister to call an all-party meeting to work out a strategy to effectively check the spread of the virus, as the situation was getting grim and dangerous.

She said that it was necessary to seek the advice, help and support of all sections of people for combating the pandemic, as it was beyond the capability or competence of one city or individual to manage the situation, as the entire world was affected by the pandemic.

"Unfortunately, the arrogant Chief Minister did not take heed of Kumar's appeal, but now that the pandemic has slipped out of the hands of the government, it is requisitioning the services of hotels, community centres and sports grounds to accommodate Covid patients," she said.

She also said that initially, Kejriwal had discouraged people from getting admitted to hospitals, asking them to go for home quarantine instead.Lamba said that with even doctors becoming clueless about the impact of the variants of the virus strain, Kejriwal played 'expert', and the people of Delhi are now bearing the brunt of the AAP government's reckless actions.

"At least 344 people lost their lives in the past three days, and the biggest burial ground at ITO is left with space for only 80-90 bodies now," she claimed.Lamba said that the Chief Minister had blamed air pollution and farmers for the surging death rate during the third wave of the pandemic, but whom would he blame for the deaths and rapid spike in Covid cases now.

The Congress leader said that it is ironic that Kejriwal, who has woefully failed to manage the affairs of Delhi, is trying to expand his party's footprints by spreading blatant lies and falsehood, not only among the people of Delhi, but also to people in other states, while Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia even had the temerity to suggest to the Prime Minister to 'consult' Kejriwal on major policy decisions, due to the 'popularity' of the 'Delhi Model' of governance.

She also highlighted that despite 120 CATS ambulances transporting nearly 2,000 patients daily, the national capital is experiencing a shortage of ambulances, which clearly proves that the number of Covid affected people and deaths is much more than what the official figures suggest.