Former Kerala Chief Minister's Son Chandy Oommen on Thursday aimed at the Centre government over its letter to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, urging him to consider suspending or postponing the Bharat Jodo Yatra if Covid protocols could not be followed. "When PM Modi took out a Yatra in Gujarat, a similar situation was there but no action followed," Oommen said.
Chandy Oommen, who joined Rahul Gandhi during the Haryana's leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra said, "You see the current scenario, I will not comment on this matter unless the decision is made across India. Let the decision come throughout India."
"When Modi ji took out a Yatra in Gujarat, similar situation, but no decision, no action," he added.
Earlier on Tuesday, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya had written to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot asking them to strictly follow the COVID-19 guidelines during the party's Bharat Jodo Yatra.er should be implemented. Only vaccinated people should participate," the Health Minister said in the letter.
Mandaviya has also requested postponing the foot march if the Congress is unable to follow protocol.
"If following COVID protocol is not possible then the Bharat Jodo Yatra be postponed in the national interest, taking note of the public health emergency," the letter further stated.
The letter triggered a heavy backlash from the Congress Party with Rajasthan Chief Minister Gehlot claiming that the letter was written because the Modi government got alarmed by the huge turnout in the Bharat Jodo.
"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 while talking to the reporters.
The Chief Minister said that the move by the Health Minister clearly shows that BJP's aim is to disturb the Yatra. "Upset with the rising public support for Bharat Jodo Yatra, BJP's aim is to disturb it," he further said.
He further accused that the step of writing the letter was not in the interest of the public but "politically motivated".
"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."They (BJP) are looking for new ways to stop the Yatra. If COVID spreads in the country, Yatra will be impacted. But if it is not the case now, why are they looking for new excuses?" Baghel said.
He said, "When there was Corona, you (BJP) held elections in West Bengal, Assam and Uttar Pradesh. Now you're making excuses to stop 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 while speaking to reporters on Wednesday.
( With inputs from ANI )
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