Opposition cracks in open as PM Modi seeks unity at Covid briefing

Prime Minister Narendra Modi advised Parliament flooring leaders Tuesday that the Union authorities and the states should work collectively as a staff and rise above politics to deal with the unfold of the pandemic.
Maintaining that India is in a greater place than many international locations by way of the ratio of inhabitants hit by Covid-19, the Prime Minister underlined that India can not afford to decrease the guard. He referred to the resurgence of Covid-19 an infection in some international locations just like the UK.
The practically three-hour assembly at Parliament House Annexe to temporary flooring leaders on the federal government’s administration of the pandemic noticed division within the Opposition ranks.
While the Congress, CPM, CPI, AAP and RJD stayed away – so did former BJP ally SAD — leaders of the Trinamool Congress, NCP, SP, Shiv Sena and DMK attended the assembly.
A senior Opposition chief stated: “There was utter confusion. There was no decision either to attend or to stay away. There was no discussion. So some of us attended and some of the parties stayed away.”
Asked in regards to the Congress choice to steer clear of the assembly, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge stated the Congress desires the federal government to temporary all MPs within the Central Hall of Parliament, and never simply flooring leaders of events.
Another Opposition chief stated: “Had the entire Opposition stayed away, it would have not looked nice. The BJP would have said we are playing politics over the pandemic.”

“We had told the government that a discussion on the floor of the House should be held first. The government agreed to our demand and we had a five-hour discussion in Rajya Sabha on the Covid situation… So there was no point in staying away,” a frontrunner stated.
Sources stated there have been variations throughout the Congress too on the choice to steer clear of the presentation made by Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on the assembly.
A senior Opposition chief, who attended the assembly, stated Bhushan made an in depth presentation. “The slides referred to absolute numbers, how many vaccinations have been done, and the absolute numbers are so much higher than other countries. Even in the comparison of states, they talked in absolute numbers, and obviously the big states have more absolute numbers. What was missing was the percentage of the population vaccinated, and how states are performing, and how we will meet those targets,” the chief stated.
“At one point, the Prime Minister said that when India wins a medal at the Olympics, it is the country’s medal, not of one government or political party… Similarly when India will win the battle against Covid… it will not be of one government or any political party,” the chief quoted the Prime Minister as saying.
The Prime Minister, sources stated, knowledgeable leaders that vaccines from extra firms are more likely to be obtainable in a while. Sources stated the presentation adopted queries and recommendations from leaders of varied events.

The Shiv Sena and TMC demanded extra vaccines for Maharashtra and West Bengal, respectively. Leaders of the BJD and TMC additionally demanded that the federal government expedite the method of getting worldwide recognition for the indigenous vaccine Covaxin.
TRS chief Nama Nageswara Rao urged the federal government to spice up the vaccination drive and famous with concern that the second wave had affected the agricultural inhabitants as properly. Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had been amongst these current on the assembly. NCP’s Sharad Pawar, SP’s Ram Gopal Yadav, BJD’s Pinaki Misra, DMK’s Tiruchi Siva and RSP’s N Okay Premachandran had been among the many Opposition leaders on the assembly.