Rahul Gandhi accused PM Modi of "ignorance" on the virus.
Rahul Gandhi, in one of his sharpest attacks so far on the government's handling of Covid and the deadly second surge, said today that Prime Minister Narendra Modi "was responsible for the second wave" and that he "did not understand Covid at all".
"The first wave no one understood...but the second wave is the PM's responsibility. His stunts, his lies about deaths..." the Congress leader said, addressing a virtual press conference.
"The PM is an event manager. We don't need events. We need strategies," he commented, also accused PM Modi of "ignorance" on the virus.
"You have left the door open and have still not shut the door. You have vaccinated only three per cent of the population, leaving the rest open. US has vaccinated half its population. Brazil has vaccinated 8 to 9 per cent. They are not the vaccine capital, we are. We make vaccines," he said.
"I directly told the PM that if India does not sort out its vaccination strategy, there will be multiple waves since the virus adapts."
Vaccines were the only permanent solution to Covid and lockdowns, social distancing and masks were temporary ones, Mr Gandhi said, stressing that without a proper vaccination strategy, India would witness multiple waves of infection.
"If vaccinations continue at this rate, we will have a third and fourth wave. Because the virus will mutate. We are fighting a war with the coronavirus, which is an evolving disease. But the government thinks it is fighting the opposition, not the virus," the Congress MP said.
"This is not the time to spread lies. The government should be truthful. It is a question of the country's future, saving lives. We are not the government's enemy - the opposition is showing the way. We would not have gone through this crisis if they had heard us in February."
