PM missing along with vaccines, oxygen, medicines: Rahul Gandhi
What's the story
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched an attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, alleging that he is missing along with vaccines, oxygen, and medicines during the COVID-19 pandemic, and what remains is the Central Vista project and the PM's photos. The former Congress chief has been attacking the prime minister over the government's handling of the pandemic.
Criticism
Gandhi has been critical of the Centre since pandemic hit
Gandhi has been critical of the Centre for the lack of oxygen, medicines, and vaccines in India amid the surge in cases during the second wave of COVID-19. "The prime minister is missing, along with vaccines, oxygen, and medicines. All that remains are the central vista project, GST on medicines and the prime minister's photos here and there," he said in a tweet.
Twitter Post
Here is what Gandhi tweeted
वैक्सीन, ऑक्सीजन और दवाओं के साथ PM भी ग़ायब हैं।
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 13, 2021
बचे हैं तो बस सेंट्रल विस्टा, दवाओं पर GST और यहाँ-वहाँ PM के फ़ोटो।
Details
Surjewala slammed government over dead bodies found in Ganga
Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala also hit out at the government over dead bodies floating in the Ganga. "What time has come in this New India that even dead bodies floating in rivers are not visible to the government. Shame...," he said in a tweet in Hindi, while citing a news report about the bodies being buried in sand in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao.
Twitter Post
Here is what Surjewala tweeted
नए भारत में क्या वक्त आया है,
— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) May 13, 2021
जब हकूमत को लाशें भी दिखाई नहीं दे रहीं ....
लानत है !#COVIDEmergency
https://t.co/oIFlPw6nOB
Criticism
Lancet has also criticized India's handling of COVID-19
Earlier, in a heavily critical editorial, The Lancet said PM Modi could be responsible for presiding over a "self-inflicted national catastrophe." The government "squandered" its early successes in controlling COVID-19, it added. It said the government gave an impression that India had beaten COVID-19, despite warnings of new strains. A false indication of herd immunity encouraged complacency and insufficient preparation for handling the crisis.
Statistics
India reports 3.62 lakh new cases, 4.1K more deaths
With a single-day rise of 3,62,727 cases, India's COVID-19 tally climbed to 2,37,03,665 on Thursday, while the death toll due to the viral disease rose to 2,58,317 with 4,120 more people succumbing to it, according to the Health Ministry. Even though the government has indicated that infections have plateaued, experts say the decline in COVID-19 cases will likely be slow.