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Party to intensify COVID-19 relief efforts, including serving in rural areas where cases are on the rise
Prime Minister Narendra Modi should act instead of giving speeches and advice, the Congress said on Friday as it shared the details of relief measures undertaken by the party to help those affected by COVID-19 in the past one month.
On the occasion of the 30th death anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, the party also announced that it would intensify its COVID-19 relief efforts, including serving the rural areas where cases of infection are on the rise.
In response to Mr. Modi getting emotional during a video-conference with heath care professionals and frontline workers of his Lok Sabha constituency of Varanasi, the party said India needed a strong resolve to fight the pandemic instead of tears.
“Mr. Modi, Vaccinate! Don’t Procrastinate,” former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said on Twitter and shared a media report claiming 70% of districts in India receiving less than 20 doses per 100 population.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, “India doesn’t need ‘tears of guilt’, India needs compassion and healing, India needs resolve to defeat COVID, India needs governance and delivery.”
Also read: Coronavirus | It’s MOVID pandemic, says Congress
Addressing an online press conference jointly with spokesperson Pawan Khera, Congress general secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal called for action.
“I think, instead of speeches, instead of advice, the Prime Minister has to act at least now in his own words. Action has been missing, totally missing, action from the Central government, action from the Prime Minister has been totally missing during this entire pandemic period. Now, the country is asking again and again what action you have taken,” Mr. Venugopal said.
He said when Mr. Gandhi had cautioned the government about a ‘big tsunami’ with regard to COVID-19 last year, supporters of the government trolled the Congress leader.
Mr. Venugopal also said there was no clear strategy, be it with regard to economically helping the poor or meeting the vaccine shortage or the inadequate supply of oxygen and life-saving medicines.
“This country is far more greater than the Prime Minister. What is more important than the Prime Minister’s tears are the tears of every Indian that could have been stopped and lives saved had the mistakes not been done in the last one year,” said Mr. Khera.
The Congress said millions of party workers undertook a special ‘SEVA’ drive to commemorate Rajiv Gandhi’s 30th death anniversary.
The Congress claimed that since April it has arranged 1,600 ambulances of which 456 have been arranged from the MLA LADs funds of various States; fulfilled 1,34,000 requests for hospital beds; delivered 64,000 requests for oxygen cylinders; arranged 15,00,000 home isolation kits; responded to 3,23,700 requests for critical medication; attended to 5,000 requests for plasma among others.
“The Congress will continue to be at the service of every single Indian across the country to hold their hand, to be of service and to try and ease the troubles. These initiatives will be ongoing for as long the pandemic continues,” Mr. Venugopal said.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Gandhi offered his respects at his father’s memorial Veer Bhumi, while his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tweeted in her father’s memory about love, kindness, compassion and humility.
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