Sonia: Covid-19 has hit with fury, caught off guard again
The Congress Working Committee (CWC) lashed out at the Central government over the handling of the Covid-19 fallout. In an online meeting on Saturday, the apex body accused the Centre of “colossal mismanagement” in the war against the Covid pandemic and cautioned of an “unprecedented catastrophe” unless urgent corrective measures are taken.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi said India has “regrettably been caught off guard again despite a year to prepare”. She accused the Modi government of “gross unpreparedness” and “adhocism” in managing the crisis and suggested reducing the immunisation age to 25 years and providing income support to people.
She targeted the government over the shortage of vaccines, medicines, hospital beds and medical oxygen. “It is deeply concerning to read news reports of acute shortages of medical equipment and hospital beds. Reports from across the country speakof the scarcity of Covid-19 vaccine as also of life-saving drugs, including Remdesivir,” she said.
Lashing out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi she added, “I have written to the Prime Minister after meeting with Congress CMs. Our CMs have spoken to the him and written to the concerned minister from time to time pleading for relief. Some of them were left with only a few days of vaccine, no oxygen or ventilators. But there has been thundering silence on the part of the government. On the contrary, some other states have received preferential treatment or relief.”
Attacking the vaccine Maitri programme she said that considering the highest infection rate in our country vaccine export should have been held back for our citizens. She added that the government instead of listening to constructive suggestions by the Opposition is ridiculing them. This was in reference to opening up the permissions for foreign vaccines.
Mrs Gandhi said that the Congress has extended hands of cooperation since February-March last year. “We cannot, however, lose sight of the fact that the second wave of the pandemic has hit the country with fury. Despite a year to prepare, we have, regrettably, been caught off guard again,” she said.