Union Minister asks Rahul Gandhi to follow the covid 19 guidelines or postpone the Bharat Jodo Yatra
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya wrote a letter to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday urging them to see to it that the Covid-19 regulations were properly followed throughout the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra.
According to the letter written by the Union Health Minister, the Bharat Jodo Yatra must strictly follow the Covid-19 guidelines and must use masks and hand sanitiser. It further states that the Yatra is only open to those who have received their vaccinations.
Mandaviya also requested Rahul Gandhi to postpone the Bharat Jodo Yatra in the national interest and in consideration of the public health emergency if it is not possible to follow the Covid-19 guidelines.
Reacting to the letter, Congressman Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury questioned whether PM Modi followed the Covid-19 guidelines during the Gujarat election campaign. “I want to ask BJP, did PM Modi follow Covid protocols during Gujarat Polls? While many seem to like and join Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, I believe Mansukh Mandaviya does not. Mandaviya has been assigned to distract the people, he said.
In response to this letter, Congress Spokesperson Pawan Khera questioned, “The BJP is taking out yatras in Karnataka and Rajasthan whether the Health Minister sent a letter to them?”. The party further said, “Please declare Covid protocols; we will follow them.”
Later in the day, after the expert group meeting, Mr Mandaviya took a dig at the Congress’s Gandhi saying, “It is vital to follow Covid regulations even if you belong to a specific family.” Further, he added that “I’m merely a little part of the team headed by the pradhan sevak” (a reference to Prime Minister Modi), therefore I can’t question special people.
The Health Minister in another letter stated that the focus of the Center will be on the five-fold strategy of testing, tracking, treating, vaccine, and adhering to Covid-appropriate behaviour.
He added that the health ministry, along with the secretaries of the health and Ayush ministries, the departments of pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director General Rajiv Bahl, Member (Health) of NITI Aayog V K Paul, National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) Chairman N L Arora, and other top officials, will review the country’s situation with COVID on Wednesday.
The Indian government has urged all states and UTs to boost up the whole genome sequencing of the positive cases after a sudden rise in Covid cases was recorded in Japan, South Korea, Brazil, and the US.
Referring to the Bharat Jodo Yatra, started from Kanyakumari on September 7 and reached its 100-day mark last week in Rajasthan after travelling through Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan. It has now reached Haryana. According to press reports, it will finish in Jammu and Kashmir on January 26.
