Rahul should look after Congress-led states before lecturing: Javadekar

Slamming Rahul Gandhi for the political turmoil in Punjab, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said the Congress leader should first look after states ruled by his party before giving lectures to others.

Briefing mediapersons, Javadekar said, "Rahul Gandhi should first look after his (Congress-ruled) states rather than giving lectures to others. Punjab Government has been provided more than 1.40 lakh doses of Covaxin at Rs 400 and they have given it to 20 private hospitals at Rs 1,000."

He said the Government of India has given 22 crore COVID vaccine doses to all states for free. He added that it is the state governments that had demanded decentralisation of COVID vaccines. Now when it has been done, the States are demanding centralising the vaccine supply.

The union minister accused the Punjab Government of ignoring the people for petty politics.

"Punjab is affected by corona. The vaccination drive is not being managed properly. Their internal fight has been going on for the last six months. The entire Punjab government and Congress Party has been in Delhi for the last 3-4 days. Who will look after Punjab? Even for COVID vaccination, the state government wants to earn a profit. What kind of public administration is this?" added Javadekar.

The BJP leader's remarks come against the backdrop of the factionalism in Punjab Congress and deliberations in Delhi regarding the matter.

Notably, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh is in the national capital to meet the Congress' three-member panel.

The agenda of the meeting is to resolve the widening differences between its leaders, Captain Amarinder Singh and Navjot Singh Sidhu, said Congress sources.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that the Central government is hiding actual COVID-19 deaths.

"Government of India is hiding actual Covid deaths," he tweeted while sharing a media report.

Earlier, the Wayanad MP asked the citizens of the country to demand free COVID-19 vaccination.

In a tweet, the Congress leader said, "Vaccines are the strongest shield to protect us against the Covid-19 pandemic. You all should also raise your voice for free vaccination of all citizens and wake up the Central government! #SpeakUpForFreeUniversalVaccination.