Farmers Movement Archive

Sonia: Modi govt compromising Covid fight for PR

NEW DELHI: A day after Rahul Gandhi sought an immediate ban on the export of Covid vaccines, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday reiterated the demand while accusing the Modi government of compromising the Covid fight in favour of PR tactics. She also demanded that actual numbers of infections and deaths be revealed. Sonia said “mass gatherings for elections and religious events” had worsened the spread of Covid. Chairing a meeting of Congress CMs and ministers from alliance-ruled states, Sonia said, “We must focus on India’s vaccination drive first and foremost, then only export vaccines and gift them... The Modi government has mismanaged the situation.” At the meeting, the Congress chief ministers raised an alarm over the shortage of vaccines, with Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel and Punjab CM Amarinder Singh flagging that their stocks would last only three days. While Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot said shortage was a reality and urged the Centre to treat states as partners. The meet was also attended by Maharashtra minister Balasaheb Thorat and Jharkhand minister Rameshwar Oraon. Taking a dig at the Centre, Rahul Gandhi tweeted on Saturday, “What India needs? Jobs and Jabs; What BJP government gives? Jumlas and Jibes.” Crucially, Sonia also asked the party leaders to deliberate if public gatherings including election rallies should be prohibited. She urged party-ruled states to take strict measures to contain the pandemic.Touching upon the farmers’s protest, the Congress chief also noted that the party-ruled states had passed the new farm laws to undo the central Acts but had not received the Presidential assent yet.

The Times of India

2021-04-11

India