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Centre can speak to ISI but not to Opposition: Priyanka Gandhi corners PM Narendra Modi on Covid crisis

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Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Narendra Modi COVID vaccine oxygen remedsivirPriyanka Gandhi Vadra Narendra Modi COVID vaccine oxygen remedsivirPriyanka Gandhi Vadra claimed that the Centre had time but it failed in managing the situation.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra today accused the Centre of failing to contain the COVID crisis alleging that the government can talk to the ISI but not to the opposition. Referring to the letter written by former PM Manmohan Singh to PM Modi, she said that Singh was PM for 10 years and everyone knows how dignified a person he is. “If he’s giving suggestions when the nation is facing a pandemic, then suggestions should be taken up with the same dignity with which they were offered…This government can speak to the ISI. They’re speaking to ISI in Dubai. Can’t they talk to Opposition leaders? I don’t think there’s any Opposition leader who’s not giving them constructive and positive suggestions,” claimed Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

She also hit out at the Modi government for prioritising exports of vaccine and Remdesivir rather than providing it for Indians. “1.1 million Remdesivir injections were exported in the last 6 months. Today we are facing a shortage. The government exported 6 crore vaccines between January and March. During this time, only 3 to 4 cr Indians were vaccinated. Why were Indians not prioritised?” she asked. She claimed that vaccine shortage is due to the bad planning of the government while Remdesivir shortage is due to no planning at all. She said that oxygen shortage is there due to no strategy put in place by the government.

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“India’s production capacity for oxygen is one of the largest in the world. Then why’s there a shortage? You had 8-9 months and your own Serosurveys indicated that a 2nd wave is imminent but you ignored it,” she said, hitting out at the government.

She claimed that the Centre had time but it failed in managing the situation. “Today, only 2000 trucks in India can transport oxygen. How tragic it is that oxygen is available but it’s not reaching where it should,” said Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Cornering Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his political rallies in West Bengal, she said, “PM needs to show up. He needs to get off the stage of the rally where he is laughing and cracking jokes. He needs to come here, sit in front of people, talk to them and tell them how is he going to save lives?…Even today they’re busy with campaigning. They’re laughing from the stages. People are crying, screaming for help, seeking oxygen, beds, medicines, and you’re going to huge rallies and laughing. How can you do this?” said Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Reacting to the Uttar Pradesh government’s step of increasing COVID testing, she claimed, “Their own Serosurvey in October-November showed that 5 crore people came in contact with the virus. Ramping up of testing was recommended. The UP Government started 70 per cent antigen tests which means only 30 per cent RT-PCR test is being done.”

Priyanka also questioned the UP government for not ramping up the tests before. “Why the antigen tests? To lower their numbers? Even today reports are coming that private labs are being told to stop the testing. Why? What is important – people’s lives or your numbers and the image of your government?” she said.

She also questioned the government over deaths that happened due to the lack of oxygen.

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