Health Minister Harsh Vardhan’s assurance to Parliament that the Union government is in full control of COVID-19 outbreak is like the Captain of the ill-fated Titanic telling passengers not to panic as the ship was unsinkable, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi said on Thursday.
The Congress leader made these remarks in a tweet soon after the Health Minister assured both Houses of Parliament that the government is taking all necessary measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
“The Health Minister saying the Indian government has the coronavirus crisis under control is like the Captain of the Titanic telling passengers not to panic as his ship was unsinkable. It’s time the government made public an action plan backed by solid resources to tackle this crisis,” Mr. Gandhi said.
Inside the Lok Sabha, several members offered their suggestions to the Minister after he made the statement.
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Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury raised the issue of rising prices of sanitisers and masks as well as the need to prevent rumours. Trinamool Congress leader Saugata Roy suggested the government should show small video clips on TV to make people aware of steps needed to contain the virus.
Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav said the government should take special care to publicise guidelines so that people become aware about preventive steps to tackle the virus.
DMK MP Kanimozhi said passengers should quarantined closer to airports and more virology institutes should be set up in various zones. All airports should be equipped with thermal screening facility to detect the virus, she said.
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Bhartruhari Mahtab of the BJD said screening and quarantine facilities should be set up in cities like Bhubaneswar.
Raghu Rama Krishna Raju of the YSR Congress Party’s comment that the “Hindu culture of Namaste” is the best step in preventing the spread of COVID invited sharp reactions from MPs from Kerala, forcing him to change it to “Indian culture”.
While NCP Supriya Sule urged the Central government to help States and conduct regular briefings on the situation, independent MP from Maharashtra Navneet Kaur spoke wearing a mask in the House.
