'Tughlaqi lockdown,' 'ringing bells': Rahul slams Centre's anti-COVID-19 strategy
What's the story
Taking a dig at the government, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said its strategy to fight COVID-19 consisted of imposing a Tughlaqi lockdown, ringing bells, and singing praises to the Lord. The Congress-led opposition has been criticizing the government over its handling of the pandemic and vaccination drive, while the Centre has maintained that its timely steps have been instrumental in fighting COVID-19.
Decisions
Congress has made similar comparisons in the past as well
In a tweet in Hindi, Gandhi said, "The Central government's COVID-19 strategy - Stage 1- Impose a Tughlaqi lockdown, Stage 2- Ring bells, Stage 3- Sing praises to the Lord." The Congress in the past also has compared some of the government's decisions to those taken by Delhi Sultanate ruler Muhammad bin Tughlaq, to allege that they were arbitrary and not well thought out.
Twitter Post
Here is what Gandhi tweeted
केंद्र सरकार की कोविड रणनीति-
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 16, 2021
स्टेज 1- तुग़लक़ी लॉकडाउन लगाओ।
स्टेज 2- घंटी बजाओ।
स्टेज 3- प्रभु के गुण गाओ।
Information
Congress also disparaged the government over it's 'taali-thaali' call
The Congress has also taken swipes at the government over its taali-thaali call last year in which people across India clapped, rang bells, blew conch shells, and beat metal plates in solidarity with health workers fighting the novel coronavirus.
Criticism
Gandhi had also criticized Centre's vaccine festival
Gandhi on Thursday also criticized the Tika Utsav organized by the Centre by calling it a sham. The former Congress president had said in a tweet that the Centre's shortcoming is exposed as it does not have adequate beds, medical oxygen as well as vaccines but the government is celebrating a sham in the name of a vaccine festival.
Twitter Post
Here is what Gandhi tweeted on Thursday
केंद्र सरकार की कोविड रणनीति-
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 16, 2021
स्टेज 1- तुग़लक़ी लॉकडाउन लगाओ।
स्टेज 2- घंटी बजाओ।
स्टेज 3- प्रभु के गुण गाओ।
COVID-19
Delhi becomes India's worst-hit COVID-19 city
Gandhi's attack on the government came amid a steep rise in coronavirus cases in the country with a record 2,17,353 new infections taking India's total tally of COVID-19 cases to 1,42,91,917 on Friday. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Delhi recorded a whopping 17,282 fresh coronavirus cases to become the worst-affected Indian city. The National Capital has now surpassed Mumbai.