Coronavirus | Third wave is going to be worse, says Rahul Gandhi as Cong releases White paper

The Congress launched a report on COVID-19 mismanagement ready by the Research Department of the social gathering at a press convention.

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, on the press convention mentioned, the white paper was not to level fingers at anybody however “to correct the shortcomings in the future”. The report is based mostly on dialogue that came about throughout the Congress construction and consultants, he mentioned.

“Everyone had predicted a second wave but the government didn’t have the correct response.”

He mentioned we had been once more at that stage the place a 3rd wave is possible to hit. “That’s why the government needs to be fully prepared. The propose of this white paper is not to point fingers at the government but to help the nation prepare for the third wave.”

Calling it a blue print to cope with the third wave, he mentioned, “we are trying to give information to the government about where we went wrong.”

Vaccination is the central pillar on which COVID-19 can be handled, Mr. Gandhi mentioned. “One pillar is what went wrong and our suggestion is to set up a commission to examine what went wrong.”

The second pillar on which COVID-19 administration stands is infrastructure “that we didn’t have in the first and second wave”, he added.

He mentioned the third pillar was economic system. “COVID-19 isn’t just a biological disease but a social and economic ailment. We have been talking about giving assistance to the poor people.”

“Fourth pillar is the COVID-19 compensation fund to help families that have lost bread winners.”

Not the time and place for discussing Pawar’s assembly

Asked about NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s scheduled assembly with Opposition leaders at his Delhi residence, Mr. Gandhi mentioned his intention for the press convention was to deliver deal with COVID-19. “There is a time and place for discussion (on the Opposition conclave) and I am happy to discuss it then.”

Calling Monday’s document variety of vaccinations within the nation “a good job done”, Mr. Gandhi mentioned, “We must make this a mission. This is a matter of life and death and the government must not view Indian States as BJP and Congress States. We have to fight corona in a decentralised manner. Everyone has a place (in the fight) — the Prime Minister, Chief Minister, District Magistrate and the citizens.”

“Dr. Manmohan Singh has given suggestions but you ridiculed him. Later, you had to accept the suggestions. You have to accept you’ve made mistakes; only then you can correct it,” Mr. Gandhi mentioned, addressing the Centre.

‘Centre hiding number of deaths’

The Centre was hiding the reality on the variety of deaths, he alleged. “The number is five to six times that provided by the government.”

“We can attack the government later,” he mentioned, stressing the necessity to deal with the looming risk of the third wave. “If you thought the second wave was bad, the third wave is going to be worse!”

During the second wave, 90% of the COVID-19 deaths in India had been unnecessary deaths primarily due to scarcity of oxygen and never these owing to critical co-morbidities, he mentioned.

“PM’s tears can’t wipe off the tears of the families who lost their loved ones, of those who died needlessly. PM Modi was not taking things seriously. His focus was on different things and fighting elections in Bengal. The PM was also engaged in marketing events like taali bajao, thaali bajaao.”

‘Vaccination only solution’

“Vaccination is the only solution. Deploy as many vaccines as possible on a war footing and in mission mode. India is the only country where people are paying for vaccines in private hospitals,” he mentioned.

Mr. Gandhi alleged the hole fastened by the federal government between two doses was a political resolution, that taken due to scarcity of vaccines.

“The Centre is making ₹4 lakh crore from taxes on petrol and diesel. Why can’t they give some of this back to the people? Families need the money to be productive.”

Asked about vaccine hesitancy, notably amongst ladies and Muslims, he mentioned vaccination was a should and that consciousness campaigns should be carried out.