Congress attacks govt over rising swine flu deaths

Congress today targeted the government over rising number of swine flu deaths saying while it released full page advertisements seeking votes, it did not have money for launching a drive to raise awareness about the disease.

"Front page advertisements for votes - but no money for awareness drive on SwineFlu - Rs6k cr Health Budget cut," party General Secretary and Communication Department Chairman Ajay Maken said on Twitter.

The pinned tweet by Maken also carried the pictures of front page advertisements by the BJP with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pictures during the Delhi poll campaign.

Forty more deaths due to contagious swine flu have been reported in the country taking the toll to 703 as the virus continued to spread its tentacles to new states, including Mizoram, with the number of cases crossing the 11,000 mark.

Those infected with H1N1 virus are 11071, a new high in recent years, with number of cases showing increase in states Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi and Telangana.

Meanwhile, Maken also took a dig at Modi over the auction of his pinstripe suit.

"#ModiSuit - Base Price of Auction - Rs 11 Lacs Mockery of Indian Poor and violation of all related rules," he tweeted.

In another tweet, the Congress general secretary said, " Coal Ordinance to legalise corruption "In Good Faith"! Govt to allot blocks to its friends sans fear of prosecution?".

He also attached with the tweet a link of a newspaper report which said the Union Government has taken the contentious coal ordinance route to ring-fence itself and the bureaucracy from criminal prosecution.