Delhi police quiz BV Srinivas over Covid relief works, is helping people a crime, asks Congress

A team of Delhi police on Friday questioned Youth Congress national president Srinivas BV who has been engaged in Covid relief works.

The Crime Branch team arrived at the Indian Youth Congress office and questioned Srinivas and his team members, inviting harsh criticism from the Congress.

"The police wanted to know the details of how are we helping people. We answered all their questions," Srinivas said, according to ANI. Srinivas also shared a clip of Congress workers engaged in relief work, saying that it’s their responsibility to “spread love as far as possible.”

Reacting to the police action, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala took to Twitter to allege that the Centre considered “helping people a crime.”

“Is helping people with oxygen a crime? Is helping dying patients with Remdesivir a crime? Is helping patients with medicines a crime? Is it a crime to arrange for beds and ventilators? Is providing food to the kin of COVID affected patients and ambulance drivers a crime? It looks like according to Narendra Modi, it’s a crime. That is why PM Modi and Amit Shah sent the police to the Youth Congress office today to question Srinivas and other party workers,” Surjewala said.

Delhi police has not issued any clarification regarding the matter.

Many people, in need of oxygen, beds and medicines for Covid patients, have been reaching out to Srinivas ever since the second wave of the pandemic broke out. 

A controversy had erupted after even New Zealand Embassy had reached out to him on Twitter to help a staff member with oxygen supply, following which, the necessary help was provided by the Youth Congress.

The move had led to an exchange of barbs between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Congress leader Jairam Ramesh.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern also had to intervene in the matter saying the High Commission should have followed the official channels and protocols.