Minister To Rahul Gandhi: Ensure Covid Rules Followed Or Suspend Bharat Jodo Yatra: Mansukh Mandaviya
Union Health Minister has written to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, asking him to ensure Covid rules are followed in his ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, otherwise he should suspend it” in the national interest”.
In its response, Parliament cited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent exploratory campaign in Gujarat. Parliament leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said: “The BJP is afraid of yatra because Rahul Gandhi is getting a huge response and is popping up all over social media.
The letter from Minister Mansukh Mandaviya mentioned that three BJP MPs from Rajasthan had written to him and “expressed concern” about the increasing Covid cases around the world in the past few days.
China has indeed seen a spike, causing concern in other countries. India has largely relaxed protocol over the past year, but a Today, the Ministry of Health has a meeting to consider reintroducing some norms.
“I request [Rahul Gandhi] that Covid procedures, including the use of masks and disinfectants, must be strictly followed throughout the march and only those who have been vaccinated are allowed to participate,” the minister wrote in letter dated December 20 when yatra in Rajasthan Haryana on Wednesday.
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya ahead of the Covid meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday.
“If this Covid protocol cannot be followed, then in light of the public health emergency and to save the country from the Covid pandemic, I ask you to suspend ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ in the national interest, The minister added in writing.
#BREAK | Union Health Minister writes letter to Rahul Gandhi to ensure Covid rules are followed in his Bharat Jodo Yatra https://t.co/Thl9wdawJOpic.twitter.com/Me7aOOJ89w
– NDTV (@ndtv) December 21, 2022
He also attached a letter from three MPs which highlighted how Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukh tested positive for coronavirus after he joined the yatra.
Parliament leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said the letter was “an attempt to distract”.
“Yatra has shocked the BJP and it is reacting in a panic,” he claimed, saying in Hindi: “Did Modi ji wear a mask while going door to door looking for votes in Gujarat?”
He said the Health Minister “may not like Rahul Gandhi’s yatra”, but “people from all over India” are taking part in it.
“Yatra has dented the propaganda that BJP spreads through the trough God (tough) media,” he added.
“But now Rahul Gandhi is all over social media. Yatra is being talked about, it’s making a big impact. That’s why the Modi government has deployed (Mansukh) Mandaviya. to use every excuse and try to turn people against yatra,” he added.
Rahul Gandhi did not react.
