Terming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as the “Bharatiya Jhagda Party”, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday accused the Centre of abusing a few State Governments instead of supporting them.

“The Centre either condemns the West Bengal Government or the Jharkhand Government or the Maharashtra Government. It seems like the BJP-led Central Government has no other work but to divert the focus of people and attack State Governments that are actually doing some work,” he said.

Referring to recent instances where the Supreme Court intervened in matters related to Board exams and oxygen shortage, he claimed that the Centre only works after the apex court gives it a rap.

“They said oxygen supply was not done properly by the States but everyone knows who was responsible for the mess. It was after the Supreme Court intervened that the situation was brought under control. Students wanted the Board exams to be cancelled but after the apex court came into the picture, the Government said they are cancelling the exams.

“States kept asking for vaccines but the Government did not pay heed. It was after the apex court intervened that the Centre said it will provide free vaccines to States,” he said.

Stating the gross mismanagement and inaction of BJP-led Central Government, Sisodia said, “Only when the Supreme Court asked the Central Government to supply oxygen or face contempt, did the latter begin helping States with oxygen supply. Why didn’t the Central Government take any action for oxygen supply earlier?”

Speaking about the dilemma faced by several students, parents and State Governments with regard to Board examinations, the Deputy CM said: “Many State Governments along with our children supported cancelling the examinations but we faced objections from BJP leaders.”

Referring to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s comments in which he asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi why the doorstep ration delivery scheme by his Government was stalled by the Centre and appealed to him to allow its implementation in national interest, Sisodia said, “If in the 21st century, a CM, who is an IIT alumnus, is thinking about doorstep delivery of ration, why don’t you talk about it? Why can’t ration be home delivered?”

Earlier in the day, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had alleged that the Kejriwal Government was under the control of the “ration mafia” and claimed that its proposal of home delivery of subsidised grains is merely a show to promote a “scam.”