The Opposition has come heavily on the Central government for its letter to Rahul Gandhi asking him to postpone the Bharat Jodo Yatra if it is not possible for him to follow Covid-19 protocols.
TMC MP Dola Sen said that the Centre could have issued an advisory but no circular came advising masks or any other preventive measure. She added that it is not the sole duty of the Union government to boss over state governments.
"They could've issued advisory. We're at Parliament but no circular came for wearing masks or taking preventive measures. Not the sole duty of the Centre to boss over state governments. Their responsibility is towards public in which they fail, we don't expect much from them," she told the news agency ANI.
Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot took to Twitter to say that no Covid-19 protocol was followed in PM Modi's Tripura rally two days back. He said that BJP and the Modi government are worried after seeing the crowd in Bharat Jodo Yatra.
Reacting to the letter, Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury asked if PM Modi followed Covid protocols during the election campaign of Gujarat elections.
"I want to ask BJP, did PM Modi follow Covid protocols during Gujarat Polls? I think Mansukh Mandaviya is not liking Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra but people are liking it & joining it. Mandaviya has been deputed to divert public's attention," he said.
Congress MP Karti Chidambaram questioned the letter asking what COVID protocols are enforced in many public gatherings at present.
He said, "I haven't seen the letter but what are the COVID protocols today? We don't seem to be having any enforceable COVID protocols in any other public gatherings. Why this sudden attention to Bharat Jodo Yatra if not that it is rankling the BJP?"
The development comes after Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya wrote a letter to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi asking to ensure that Covid-10 guidelines are followed in the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra. The minister suggested postponing the Yatra if it is not possible to follow the Covid-19 protocols.
Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra resumed from Haryana on Wednesday. It is scheduled to reach Delhi on December 28.