After former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on how to fight the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has replied to the letter and has ripped apart Singh’s suggestions point-by-point as he claimed that most of the suggestions mentioned in the letter have been implemented by the government a week earlier.
Stating that the Indian National Congress needs to admit that India has been doing very well in terms of vaccinations, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan in his reply said, “However, it does seem that those who drafted your letter or advised you, have done a great disservice to your standing by misleading you regarding material that is already in public domain. For example, take the point that you have mentioned about allowing import of vaccines that have already been approved by credible foreign authorities. You made this suggestion on April 18, 2021, but a decision on this had already been taken a week ahead of your suggestion, on April 11, 2021.”
Commenting on Manmohan Singh’s suggestion regarding providing funds and other concessions to augment vaccine manufacturing, Dr Harsh Vardhan replied, “This decision had also been taken many days before receipt of your letter and multiple vaccine manufacturing entities have been funded by the government to immediately enhance production.”
Highlighting the Congress leaders’ poor conduct amidst the pandemic, Harsh Vardhan wrote, “A sitting Chief Minister of your party created a dubious world record of sorts by being the only head of government directly inciting people against an indigenously developed vaccine. Some Congress leaders even shamed the vaccines in public but took their doses in private, quietly.”
He added, “The irresponsible public pronouncements made by some of your leaders have resulted in a below national average vaccination coverage of senior citizens and even front-line workers in some of the Congress-ruled states. Please do note that it is these very same states that have also become the big contributors in the second wave of COVID-19 infection. The test positivity ratio in these states during the second wave is alarmingly high and they too could benefit from your counsel and wisdom.”
Harsh Vardhan while taking to Twitter to post his reply to Singh’s letter, tweeted, “History shall be kinder to you Dr Manmohan Singh ji if your offer of ‘constructive cooperation’ and valuable advice was followed by your @INCIndia leaders as well in such extraordinary times !”
History shall be kinder to you Dr Manmohan Singh ji if your offer of ‘constructive cooperation’ and valuable advice was followed by your @INCIndia leaders as well in such extraordinary times !
Here’s my reply to your letter to Hon’ble PM Sh @narendramodi ji 👍 @PMOIndia pic.twitter.com/IJcz3aL2mo
— Dr Harsh Vardhan (Modi Ka Pariwar) (@drharshvardhan) April 19, 2021
Constructive suggestions and criticisms are always welcome but it seems that Congress was looking to score a political point over the BJP through Manmohan Singh’s letter. It is pertinent to note that states Congress-ruled states Maharashtra and Chattisgarh are pulling back India’s fight against the Chinese virus. Unfortunately, Manmohan Singh has been infected with the virus and TFI prays for his speedy recovery.
