The editorial of top international medical journal The Lancet and statement from Indian Medical Association both indicting the inept handling of the pandemic by Prime Minister Narendra Modi government gave Opposition fresh ammunition, with former Congress President Rahul Gandhi, christening the COVID pandemic as “Movid pandemic”.
Congress general secretary Ajay Maken said that the Congress has been warning the government since the onset of the pandemic in March last year but the government has turned a blind eye towards any sensible suggestions. “What The Lancet and the IMA have said are the same things, that Mr. Rahul Gandhi pointed out in his letter to the Prime Minister written on Friday,” Mr. Maken said. Mr. Gandhi has been advocating for a full lockdown for the last many days.
Mr. Maken said that this is no longer a natural calamity. “What we are going through today is a man-made disaster, in fact I would go on to say, a Modi-made disaster,” he said.
The party also attacked the government on the GST being charged on vaccines. “It is preposterous that the Centre is charging GST on the vaccines being bought by the State government. Then it will use the same money to supply vaccines to the States from 45 and above category,” he added.
Mr. Gandhi too in a tweet flagging news reports revealing that less than ₹5,000 crores have been spent on vaccines out of the ₹35,000 crore budget, said, “Vaccine budget- underutilized. Human life- undervalued. Because the PM’s ego- overinflated.”
The party also has been critical of the ongoing construction of the central vista when there are desperate calls for oxygen supply, medicines, hospital beds and other basic medical facilities to deal with COVID-19. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh wrote on Twitter, “The only thing that is bizarre is the Modi Govt thinks spending on a new Parliament, new mansion for the PM, and office buildings is an “essential service, while the country is reeling from shortage of oxygen, beds, medicines, and even vaccines. Stop defending the indefensible!”
