Rahul attacks PM, says there are no tests, oxygen or beds in hospitals

NEW DELHI: Calling the ‘Tika Utsav' (vaccination festival) a ‘sham', former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Thursday questioned the government on the use of PM-CARES fund in tackling the second wave. Gandhi alleged that neither testing was being done nor hospital beds, ventilators and oxygen were available. “There are no tests or beds in hospitals. There are no ventilators or oxygen. The vaccine is also not there. But there is a sham of a festival. PM-CARES?” he asked.

Gandhi has been critical of the government's handling of the second wave and had written to the Prime Minister on April 8, asking the government to open up vaccination to “whoever needs it”.

To scale up vaccination efforts, Gandhi suggested that the government provide necessary resources to vaccine suppliers to increase manufacturing capacity, fast track approval of other vaccines as per norms and guidelines and open up vaccination to everyone who needs it.

The Congress leader renewed attack after India reported highest single-day rise of 2,00,739 Covid-19 infections and 1,038 deaths on Thursday.