Spat over oxygen delivery to 2 foreign missions

...I’m stunned that the youth wing of the opposition party is attending to SOS calls from foreign embassies... JAIRAM RAMESH, Cong leader

NEW DELHI: The government and the Congress were embroiled in a spat on Sunday over the supply of oxygen to two foreign missions in New Delhi, with external affairs minister S Jaishankar accusing the main opposition party of indulging in “cheap publicity”.

The war of words erupted after posts on social media on the supply of oxygen cylinders to the Philippines embassy on Saturday and the New Zealand high commission on Sunday. The Youth Congress, which has played a key role in responding to urgent requests for oxygen, posted videos of its members delivering oxygen cylinders to both missions.

Jaishankar said the external affairs ministry ascertained that there are no Covid-19 cases in the Philippines embassy and the matter was tantamount to “unsolicited supply”.

Jaishankar was responding to a post by senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who tweeted: “While I thank @IYC for its stellar efforts, as an Indian citizen I’m stunned that the youth wing of the opposition party is attending to SOS calls from foreign embassies. Is the MEA sleeping @Drsjaishankar ?” It was not immediately clear whether any mission had approached the external affairs ministry for assistance. People familiar with developments said some foreign missions had faced problems in arranging hospital beds in Delhi-ncr.

...This was an unsolicited supply as they had no Covid cases. Clearly for cheap publicity by you know who... S JAISHANKAR, Union minister