New Delhi:Foreign aid pours into India when the country is grappling with the second wave of Coronavirus. However, several doubts have been raised over its utilization as even after a week of delivery, it is unclear whether the states have received any of such relief material or not.
Following this, the Opposition has raised serious demands from the Central government to bring transparency into the matter. Leaders alleged that more than 300 tonnes of emergency Covid supplies are still stuck at the airports, waiting for custom clearances.
Reacting to the issue, Congress MP Manish Tewari said, "In the year 2004, when India was hit by a tsunami, our country made a decision that we won't take help from any other country and we will not accept any aid. In the year 2021, NDA Government, while facing a failure in tackling the Covid-19 pandemic, decided to take help from foreign nations."
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He further alleged, "When other countries came forward and sent medical aid to India, even after more than a week, all that has been awaiting at airports and ports for customs clearance. At a time when people are dying, the government is unable to distribute the medical aid that has been received from foreign countries. There cannot be any such human tragedy and criminal negligence bigger than this."
Earlier on Tuesday, the Congress MP also tweeted, "Dear PMO India, Nation should not have been brought to such a pass where Foreign Aid had to be accepted. But Where has it all gone? Where are the 300 tonnes of emergency Covid-19 supplies that have landed in Delhi in last five days?"
Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Jairam Ramesh stated, "These are legitimate concerns and questions. It is in the nation's interest that there be total transparency from the government on the matter of foreign aid."
On Monday, while addressing a press conference, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said, "On behalf of every Indian, we request and demand the government to make it public every single day, where this demand has come from and where is it going. You owe this to people. We request and demand Mr Modi to ensure there is transparency in the supply of aid we are receiving and where it is being sent."
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi in a Tweet said, "We received at least 300 tonnes of international aid. PMO India isn’t telling us what has happened to it. How much life-saving material is stuck in storage due to bureaucratic drama? This is not incompetence, it is the complete lack of compassion for fellow citizens."
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He also said, "Many countries are sending India a lot of aid, it is meant for all Indians, not for PMO India alone, why don't we know how much material has come and gone where?"