New Delhi: The Congress party has released a white paper or report on Covid-19 in India. The party's leader Rahul Gandhi told the news media in Delhi - 'It's clear that management of the first and second wave of Covid-19 was disastrous and we have tried to point out the reasons behind it.'
'I would even go so far as to say that there might be waves even after the third wave of Covid-19 as the virus is mutating,' Gandhi said. The aim of this white paper on Covid-19 is not finger-pointing at the government but to help the nation prepare for the third wave of infection. The country knows that a third wave will strike. The central pillar is vaccination. It is very important we have an aggressive and 100 percent vaccination (drive)," he said. By preparing in advance countless lives can be saved, he added.
The Congress party and the Opposition have targeted the Central government for its handling of the pandemic and said that a PR stunt is being carried out. "PM's tears couldn't wipe people's tears. They know this. His tears couldn't save people. Oxygen could. But the PM didn't take it seriously, Gandhi said.
His focus was elsewhere as elections were happening. India has abundant oxygen but lack of planning and strategy made it hard for oxygen to be provided in time, he said. Gandhi also said that the government must work on the constructive inputs provided in the interest of the country.
Read: If vaccines are free, why should pvt hospitals charge for them: Rahul to PM
Reacting to Gandhi's comments, Amit Malviya, the National in-charge of BJP's Information & Technology department said: "Before Rahul Gandhi pontificates on Covid management, notwithstanding that Punjab, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh & Maharashtra, all Congress-ruled, have been laggards, he should let us know if he has got himself vaccinated since Congress actively promoted vaccine hesitancy..."
