Rahul Gandhi playing politics over Covid crisis: BJP on Cong 'white paper'

The BJP on Tuesday accused Rahul Gandhi of playing politics over the coronavirus crisis after the Congress leader released a "white paper" on the Centre's handling of the pandemic.

Releasing the "white paper" prepared by his party, Gandhi said it was clear that the government's management of the first and second waves of COVID-19 was "disastrous".

Hours after Gandhi released the document, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra told a press conference, "Since yesterday we have been fearing this. Whenever something good happens in our fight against coronavirus, the Congress and Rahul Gandhi specially do something to derail it."

"Yesterday was a significant day when India became the first country in the world to administer 87 lakh vaccine doses in one day. People seemed excited and jubilant. There is a feeling that India is winning in its fight against coronavirus, just then Rahul Gandhi spoke of white paper and tried to derail it, he said.

Patra said that from the beginning of the fight to contain the pandemic, the Congress party had questioned every step taken by the government.

"Whenever we are at a crossroads in our fight, Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party have tried to derail the efforts by playing politics. In fact, the Congress has really worked tirelessly to create hurdles and obstacles in our path, he said.

The BJP spokesperson said that the second wave began with a Congress-ruled state, the most number of the infected were from Congress-ruled states and so were the most number of deaths. He said that the maximum vaccine hesitancy was seen in Congress-ruled states and so was the highest COVID-19 positivity rate.

"The demand for decentralisation of vaccines came from the Congress-ruled states and then the U-turn demanding centralisation too came from them. Instead of virtual press conferences and white papers, Rahul Gandhi should go to such states and give them this data, said Patra.

Calling Gandhi confused, Patra accused the Congress party of making contradictory demands.

"First they called the lockdown 'Tughlaki', then they questioned why there was no lockdown.... They promoted vaccine hesitancy... I would like to ask Rahul Gandhi how long will he conduct just virtual press conferences? When will you do some real work?

"Go to states ruled by your party and see the situation there. How vaccines are being wasted in Rajasthan, how vaccine profiteering is happening in Punjab and how Chhattisgarh is misusing vaccines. Go to the ground and survey, Patra said.