Accusing former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi of doing politics over COVID-19 deaths, the BJP on Friday alleged that the WHO's data and Congress' "beta" (son) are wrong.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said the World Health Organisation's (WHO) methodology to calculate estimated deaths in India due to the virus is "flawed" and "imaginary" and the Indian government had conveyed its objections to the organisation.
Rahul has tried repeatedly to lower Prime Minister Narendra Modi's image since 2014 and has in the process lowered India's image, Patra said adding India has a robust mechanism for birth and death registration under the Registrar General of India,
"The WHO's data and the Congress' beta are wrong," he alleged, saying Rahul should not "demoralise" India.
Referring to the WHO report that claimed there were 4.7 million Covid deaths in India, Rahul said, "Science does not lie, Prime Minister Narendra Modi does.”
He had also demanded that the government should support the families that have lost loved ones by giving them the mandated Rs four lakh compensation.
Patra said the entire world believes that the way India fought the pandemic under Modi's leadership is an example for others, and it is very sad to do politics over death figures. India dealt with the disease better than many developed countries, he claimed.
India fought as one against the pandemic without any distinction between BJP-ruled states or those ruled by opposition parties, he said.
Criticising the WHO methodology, he said its data was incorrect and added that even the global body has acknowledged its sources were not verified. India has made it clear from time to time that it does not believe in the mathematical model of the organisation, he added.