The Opposition in Lok Sabha discussed the threadbare management of the Covid-19 crisis in India.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Sunday said, "I have taken my own mask off to speak sir, as I try and unmask this government." "Waise is bimaari ki vajey se sarkar ko muh chupane ka bahana mil gaya," Tharoor said while hitting out at the Modi government.The Congress leader pointed out how India has now become the country with the highest number of daily cases and deaths.
"Based on the data of WHO, on September 19 India recorded 93,331 cases compared to 42,000 in the US, additional deaths of 2,247 compared to 800 in the US.
It is a painful reflection of the grim times we live in."He said that the government betrayed the people that elected it.
"There were compelling indications as early as January that the virus had originated in Wuhan and was far more complex and potentially devastating than we thought.""Instead what appeared to be of greater interest was toppling of the government in Madhya Pradesh rather than national priorities, the present ruling dispensation continued to delay the implementation of a national strategy to clamp down on the spread of the virus," he said."The PM likened the disaster he had unleashed upon the country to Kurukshetra.
The Mahabharata he said took 18 days, before victory was earned.
Tackling the Covid virus would take 21 days.
108 days have passed respected Speaker, our national caseload is the second largest in the world and it is heading for number one," Tharoor added."The government is unlocking the country even as cases are shooting up.
The lockdown, imposed when we had 564 cases, is being lifted when we are inching towards 54 lakh cases," Tharoor said in his 20-minute speech."While experts may differ on details on lockdown strategies, they are unanimous in their opinion that sufficient notice and advancing warning are critical for successful lockdown.
Advance warning would have given time for our healthcare workers to prepare for critical cases, it could have warned those overseas to make it back to the country, it would have allowed those economically vulnerable groups in the country particularly given time to our migrant workers an sufficiently given them time to go back to their home states," he said.Speaking on the economic downturn, Tharoor said, "In June, the labour commission estimated that over 26 lakh migrant workers were stranded in various parts of the country others estimated a reverse migration of more than three crore workers since march.""We flattened the wrong curve, Covid rose, but our economy collapsed.
We have neither managed to stop the virus, nor managed to keep the economy afloat.
We have had the worst of both worlds," he added.Meanwhile, Congress leader and leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, "This government still doesn't believe that India is witnessing community transmission.
Think there is a serious under reporting of deaths in our country."Chowdhury said, "If the government doesn't have data on how many doctors or healthcare workers lost their lives in the Covid pandemic, it loses the moral authority to impose the Epidemic Act 1897 and the Disaster Management Act." Further, he asked Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, "When is the vaccine likely to be ready to fight against Covid-19?"The health minister said in the Parliament that the government is giving all necessary support for development of a Covid-19 vaccine in the country and three vaccine candidates are in different phases of clinical trial.
He said so far 6.37 crore tests have been conducted in the country which is "probably the highest in the world".On the lockdown that was announced to contain the spread of the virus, Vardhan said from March 16-23, half-a-dozen to a dozen state governments had either announced partial or total lockdown.He said many things are said about the merits and demerits of lockdown.
Five professional independent studies have assessed about how many cases and deaths were prevented due to it and have come out with their findings.Vardhan said before the WHO cautioned the world that coronavirus is an international health concern, the Centre started its work on January 8 and by January 17, it had issued an advisory to all states."We had given a detailed health advisory, had started point of entry surveillancecommunity surveillance was also started," Vardhan said.