Follow Covid protocols or suspend Bharat Jodo Yatra, health minister writes to Rahul Gandhi

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday urged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to consider putting the Bharat Jodo Yatra on hold if Covid-19 protocols cannot be followed, reported PTI.

Mandaviya also sent a copy of the letter to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, saying that three MPs of the Bharatiya Janata Party from the state had raised concerns that the Congress’ countrywide campaign could lead to the spreading of the coronavirus disease.

Gandhi and his Bharat Jodo Yatra entourage was in Rajasthan till Tuesday, and entered Haryana early on Wednesday.

In his letter, Mandaviya requested Gandhi and Gehlot that Covid-19 protocols, including the use of masks and sanitisers, be strictly followed during the march and only those who are vaccinated be allowed to participate.

“If this Covid protocol cannot be followed, then, in view of the public health emergency, and to save the country from the Covid pandemic, I request you to suspend the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ in the national interest,” Mandaviya wrote.

Why just Rahul Gandhi: Congress

In response, the Congress on Wednesday asked why the letter had been sent just to Gandhi, reported PTI.

“We are wondering why a similar letter was not sent to the president of BJP in Rajasthan Satish Punia who is carrying out a Janakrosh Yatra,” Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera told reporters. “We understand there is not much of a response to Janakrosh Yatra, there are no people there.”

He added: “We also understand that there is a huge response across the country to the Bharat Jodo Yatra and there is a lot of crowd here.”

Noting that masks or use of sanitisers were not mandatory for air travel, Khera asked why the government has not announced strict Covid-19 measures for public transport.

“Why just Rahul Gandhi, why just the Congress party, why just Bharat Jodo Yatra?” he asked. “Have they postponed the Parliament or is the Parliament still in session? If physical Parliament [session] can take place, if the Janakrosh Yatra can take place, if the BJP yatra in Karnataka can take place, if there is no mask compulsory in air travel, why are you picking on Rahul Gandhi and Bharat Jodo Yatra...”

The spokesperson added that the Congress will adhere to Covid-19 protocols once they are announced.

Similarly, Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said that if Mandaviya was concerned about public health, why were such protocols not followed by BJP leaders during campaigning of the recently-concluded Gujarat Assembly polls, reported ANI.

“The yatra has shocked the BJP and it’s reacting in panic,” Chowdhury said. “Was [Prime Minister Narendra] Modi ji wearing a mask when he went door to door to seek votes in Gujarat?”

Gehlot, in a series of tweets, claimed that the health minister’s letter shows that the BJP was disturbed because of “increasing public support” to the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

He noted that Modi had conducted rallies in West Bengal when the devastating second coronavirus wave had hit the country last year, and that the prime minister took part in a campaign two days ago in Tripura.

Gehlot said that if Mandaviya’s purpose was not political, he should have first written a letter to Modi.

Covid genome sequencing order

Mandaviya’s letter to Gandhi came the same day the Union health ministry urged state governments to send all Covid-19 positive samples for genome sequencing in view of the rise in cases in several countries.

In a letter, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan took note of the “sudden spurt of cases” in Japan, the United States of America, South Korea, Brazil and China.

In the past few weeks, coronavirus cases have increased sharply in China after it abandoned key parts of its “Zero Covid” containment strategy in response to protests.

In some parts of the country, hospitals have become overcrowded and pharmacies have been facing shortages of medicines, according to Reuters.