Global Covid aid: Govt counters Rahul’s ‘no transparency’ jibe

Mukesh Ranjan

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 6

A political slugfest has erupted between ruling BJP and opposition Congress over distribution of foreign aid coming to India in the wake of devastating second wave of COVID-19 pandemic, as Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Thursday countered Lok Sabha member from Wayanad Rahul Gandhi’s “no transparency” jibe by claiming that the Congress leader is “deliberately misleading the people”, as he “cannot rise above his petulance even at such times”.

Yesterday, Gandhi had raised questions of “transparency” in foreign aid received by India in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and demanded answers from the government.

“Questions about Covid foreign aid: What all supplies has India received? Where are they? Who is benefitting from them? How are they allocated to states? Why no transparency? Any answers, GOI,” he had asked in a tweet.

In another tweet, Gandhi alleged the Modi government has been a “complete failure” in handling the Covid-19 pandemic, vaccination and employment to people. “Neither vaccine, nor employment. People are facing the brunt of coronavirus. The Modi government has completely failed,” he said in a tweet in Hindi.

Countering the questions and the allegations, Javadekar said “Yet another attempt by @RahulGandhi to deliberately mislead the people. Knowing fully well that the aid received has not only moved fast and delivered at many places, Mr. Gandhi cannot rise above his petulance even at such times.”

In another tweet the Union Minister said, “Condemn the efforts to mislead, misinform and deliberately confuse people with falsehood on the distribution of COVID -19 supplies received from the Global Community.”

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) on its part took on the criticism in the international media about the government of India’s handling of COVID-19 related global aid.

Using the official Twitter handle the MoHFW said, “Some global media reports have raised concerns regarding distribution of global aid being sent to India in its fight against #COVID19. However, the aid is being effectively & promptly allocated and dispatched to States and UTs by Govt of India.”

Later in an official release the Ministry said, there has been “no pendency of Oxygen Concentrators with Indian Customs, as 3000 of it received in the Country as International Relief Aid and all are all delivered/dispatched”. It also asserted that the customs authorities are working “24×7 to fast track consignments of Oxygen concentrators”.

It also said, “The effective allocation of COVID-19 materials received from the global community to the states and the UTs has led to resource augmentation on the ground.”