Why no protocol for Covid issued after letter to Rahul, asks Congress

New Delhi: Accusing the government of “politicising” Covid-19, the Congress on Friday asked why it had not come out with a protocol to deal with a sub-variant of the virus weeks after it wrote to Rahul Gandhi expressing concern over the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

Congress general secretary in charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh said that on December 20, Health Minister Mandaviya had written to Gandhi based on issues raised by two Rajasthan BJP MPs.

“What was the objective of that letter? Effort was made to stop the Bharat Jodo Yatra on the pretext of Covid-19. I want to ask the health minister what happened to the protocol. Twenty-three days have passed and no protocol has been issued,” Ramesh said at a press conference on Friday.

“The prime minister is travelling everywhere in the country, addressing rallies, going on a cruise, is he wearing a mask? What was that letter of December 20? It was a political intervention and step by the Modi government as it was rattled by the success of the yatra, especially in Rajasthan,” the Congress leader alleged.

Later in a tweet, Ramesh said, “What is this Mansukh Mandaviya? You have not issued any protocol to deal with the Omicron subvariant BF.7 after writing a letter to Rahul Gandhi on the basis of letters by two BJP MPs to divert attention from Bharat Jodo Yatra.”

Later in a tweet, Ramesh said, “What is this Mansukh Mandaviya? You have not issued any protocol to deal with the Omicron subvariant BF.7 after writing a letter to Rahul Gandhi on the basis of letters by two BJP MPs in order to divert attention from the Bharat Jodo Yatra.”

“Instead of doing something serious, the Modi government is politicising Covid,” he charged.

Highlighting the party’s ‘Haath Se Haath Jodo Abhiyan’, which is starting from January 26 to March 26, Ramesh said, “It will focus on assembly elections in nine states in 2023 and Lok Sabha polls in 2024.”