Mumbai: On the letter sent to Rahul Gandhi and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot by Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, asking them to either follow the Covid guidelines strictly or discontinue the Bharat Jodo march, the Shiv Sena faction led by Uddhav Thackeray slammed the Centre by saying that "government released Covid virus" for the purpose of stopping the Congress’ march.
"Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has suggested either follow Covid protocol in the Bharat Jodo Yatra or stop the foot march. Rahul Gandhi has completed 100 days of his Bharat Jodo Yatra and is receiving mass support on a large scale. The government could not stop it by law or by conspiracy so it seems the Union government has released the 'Covid-19' virus," an editorial in Saamana, the political mouthpiece of the Thackeray camp said.
"The fear of rising Covid cases due to the rush of Bharat Jodo Yatra is right. But three years ago when Corona wreaked havoc, you were the one who invited the then US President Trump to Gujarat and gathered lakhs of people in his honour," read the editorial.
The letter received much flak from the opposition and Rajasthan Chief Minister Gehlot claimed that it was written because the Modi government was alarmed by the huge turnout in the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
"The BJP and the Modi government are so alarmed by the huge turnout in the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Rajasthan that they are writing letters to Rahul Gandhi to follow the Covid-19 protocol in Rajasthan," Gehlot said on Wednesday.
"Upset with the rising public support for the march, BJP's aim is to disturb it," he said.
"PM Modi did rallies in Tripura two days ago where no COVID protocols were followed. During the second wave of COVID also, PM had mass rallies in West Bengal. If the Union Health Minister's objective is not political and his concern is justified, then he should have written the first letter to the Prime Minister," Gehlot said.
Later on Wednesday, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel attacked the Centre government over the Health Minister's letter and said that the BJP is looking for reasons to stop the Congress' Yatra.
"During the Covid-19 pandemic, elections were conducted in Bengal, Assam, and Uttar Pradesh. Then there was no issue. If Covid situation gets worse, the party will take the decision about Yatra. What's the point of creating hue and cry now, when there is no alarming situation?" said Baghel.
Amid the fresh Covid scare, Union Health Minister chaired a high-level meeting on Wednesday to review the prevailing Covid-19 situation in the country and the preparedness of the public health system for surveillance, containment and management of the pandemic.
In the last six months, India reported four cases of the BF.7 Omicron sub-variant, which is reportedly driving the current surge of infections in China.