Arvind Kejriwal sparks row with tweet claiming new form of Covid-19 in Singapore; Centre responds

Exterior Affair Minister S Jaishankar stated that Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal doesn’t converse for India.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s tweet claiming a brand new Covid variant allegedly present in Singapore has pressured the Ministry of Exterior Affairs to problem a clarification. In a tweet, the Delhi CM stated Tuesday {that a} new pressure of COVID-19 present in Singapore is alleged to be extraordinarily harmful for kids and the identical can result in the arrival of the third COVID-19 wave in India. The CM urged the central authorities to instantly cancel flights working between India and Singapore and requested them to work on precedence to make the vaccine out there to youngsters.

His comment didn’t go down effectively with Singapore because it summoned India’s Excessive Commissioner to register its objection. “Singapore Authorities referred to as in our Excessive Commissioner as we speak to convey sturdy objection to Delhi CM’s tweet on ‘Singapore variant’. Excessive Commissioner clarified that Delhi CM had no competence to pronounce on Covid variants or civil aviation coverage,” knowledgeable Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson, Ministry of Exterior Affairs.

After Singapore formally objected to Kejriwal’s comment, Exterior Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar stated that the 2 international locations are ‘strong companions within the combat in opposition to COVID-19’. “Singapore and India have been strong companions within the combat in opposition to Covid-19. Admire Singapore’s function as a logistics hub and oxygen provider. Their gesture of deploying navy plane to assist us speaks of our distinctive relationship,” he stated in a tweet.

Nonetheless, irresponsible feedback from those that ought to know higher can harm long-standing partnerships.

So, let me clarify- Delhi CM doesn’t converse for India.

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 19, 2021

To additional dissipate the matter, he stated that Delhi CM doesn’t converse for India. “Nonetheless, irresponsible feedback from those that ought to know higher can harm long-standing partnerships. So, let me clarify- Delhi CM doesn’t converse for India,” stated Jaishankar in one other tweet.

Reacting to Dr Jaishankar’s tweet, Singapore’s International Minister Vivian Balakrishnan stated that the main target ought to be on resolving the well being disaster. “Thanks Dr S Jaishankar, let’s deal with resolving the scenario in our respective international locations and serving to each other. No one is protected till everyone seems to be protected,” he stated in a tweet.

Thanks @DrSJaishankar let’s deal with resolving the scenario in our respective international locations and serving to each other. No one is protected till everyone seems to be protected. https://t.co/2ofAZbGw9k

— Vivian Balakrishnan (@VivianBala) May 19, 2021

Singapore’s Embassy in India additionally stated that the brand new variant present in Singapore will not be new and it’s the identical B.1.617.2 variant that has been present in India as effectively.

Earlier, Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had clarified that neither business nor air bubble flights are operational between India and Singapore. He stated that just some Vande Bharat flights are being operated between the 2 international locations and that too solely to deliver again Indians who’ve been stranded there. He added that the Authorities of India is protecting a detailed watch on the scenario.