Delhi mission erred, help was for local staff: New Zealand PM

NEW DELHI: New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern confirmed on Monday that the high commission in Delhi had sought oxygen cylinders from opposition leaders, but said the mission should have followed “normal channels and protocols” and that the Indian government had been supporting the mission.
Following the apology by the high commission for seeking support from Indian Youth Congress, Arden said she recognised that help had been sought for a local staff who had been very unwell. “They should have been using those normal channels and protocols,” she said in a television interview. “The high commission themselves have removed that tweet (seeking assistance) and acknowledged that wasn’t the process that should have been used. They’ve done that, they’ve corrected that,” she added.
Ardern said a local mission staff had been very unwell. She added though that the New Zealand mission had been very well supported by the Indian government through the pandemic.
Despite assurances from the MEA that it was in continuous touch with all embassies and was responding to their medical demands, foreign missions continued to seek medical assistance through social media. Afghan ambassador Farid Mamundzay tweeted on Monday that Afghan refugees living in New Delhi were among the groups worst affected by the recent Covid surge in India. He didn’t tag any political party though. “Any assistance, particularly medical help with this community would be greatly appreciated. I thank all those agencies & individuals for their assistance, mostly medical over the past week. Together we will overcome this,” he said.