New Delhi: BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra on Wednesday (May 26) slammed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal or criticising the Modi government over the vaccination programme, as it charged him with doing ‘politics of self-promotion’ and asked him to desist from ‘abuse and accuse’ tactics.

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said Kejriwal had earlier advocated decentralisation of the vaccination programme and opening it up, but after the Centre did so, he has taken a u-turn and is indulging in lies, misinformation and credit-taking.

Patra said the Delhi chief minister holds two to three press conferences almost daily to do politics. “He appears to be doing the politics of self-promotion. Now is not the time for such politics,” he said, adding the AAP chief should shun “accuse and abuse” tactics.

Hitting out at the Delhi CM over his claim that the national capital is running short of COVID vaccines, Patra claimed that even today the Kejriwal government has over 1.5 lakh vaccine doses. The Centre has made over 20 crore doses of vaccines available to states in 130 days, he added, noting that India ranks second only to the US in this regard. “Over 42 percent of Indians over 60 years of age have got at least one dose of vaccine,” he added.

Patra also took potshots at Kejriwal over his recent claim that his government is preparing for the third wave of the pandemic and asked why he did not prepare for the second wave. “During the second wave, Kejriwal blamed the Modi government for the lack of oxygen and other matters, then how is he preparing now for the third wave,” Patra said. He asked CM Kejriwal to apologise for his mistake of not taking adequate measures to deal with the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in the national capital.

Sambit Patra attacks Arvind Kejriwal over Pakistan reference 

Sambit Patra took a swipe at Arvind Kejriwal for his Pakistan reference. “When India was indeed in a war with Pakistan, Kejriwal was seeking evidence,” Patra said, referring to the surgical strikes by the Indian forces inside Pakistani territory to target terror camps.

Earlier in the day, Kejriwal had lashed out at the Centre holding it responsible for the shortage of vaccines in the country. The CM drew an analogy between the need for vaccines during the pandemic and the need for tanks during wars.

“It is something like Pakistan declaring a war on India and then they ask if Delhi has manufactured a nuclear bomb and Uttar Pradesh bought a tank…. It is the central government’s responsibility to procure and supply vaccines. Delhi can be held accountable if they (the Centre) give us vaccines and we do not open up centres,” he had said. 

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NEW DELHI: Senior Aam Aadmi Party leader and MCD in-charge Durgesh Pathak on Tuesday said that the BJP ruled MCD has not provided books to around seven lakh students who study in the MCD schools. He said that the BJP ruled MCD has not yet started the tendering process or begun the procurement of books for these seven lakh students. Pathak said that the Aam Aadmi Party demands that the BJP ruled MCD should immediately, within 15-20 days, start the tendering, procuring and distribution process of the books for the seven lakh students. He said that the Aam Aadmi Party demands that the BJP should immediately stop playing with the future of these seven lakh students during the time of a pandemic.

Durgesh Pathak addressed a press conference on this issue and said, “In these times of Covid every section of the society has been affected. One area that has suffered in particular is the education of children; children’s studies are being conducted through online classes for the past 1-1.5 years. Governments are trying that their future is not ruined. You all must also know that in Delhi the MCD has 1,625 schools in which about 7 lakh students study; the future of these 7 lakh students is already in the dark as the level of education is not good, for the situation has deteriorated due to online classes. But the most unfortunate thing is that the books that have to be provided to students have not yet been given.”

He explained, “Generally this should happen in April. But I can understand that since the first week of April the Covid wave came, and there must have been a problem. But if the books that were to be given in April, the process of their purchase should have started earlier; its tender should have been given, books should have been obtained, the distribution was to be done in April. Yet, till now, the MCD has not begun even a single process; neither the tender process has started, nor the purchase process has been initiated, forget about distribution. You must remember that even last year through press conferences we raised the issue with you and the public. In the 2020 session, children got the books after 9 months; they should have received it in April but got it by December-January. Similarly in 2019, the books were received 8 months late. Since the last 5 years, and the situation is especially worse in North MCD, since the past 5 years children have been present in schools, they do online classes, but they don’t have books; and we all know that the poorest sections attend Delhi MCD’s schools. Such groups go (to these schools) who work as daily-wage labourers, such sections that have the least income. The future of around 7 lakh such students lies in the dark now.”

He also said, “Through the medium of media, we would like to send this message to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s leaders that last time you gave the books after 9 months, before that you gave the books 8 months latre, and even before that you gave the books 6-7 months late. At least in this session, if you want then within 10-15 days you can give the tender and obtain the books, it’s not a big deal, and start the process of distribution. Corona cases are decreasing in Delhi, so all agencies will have to slowly return to their work, all agencies will have to be slowly nudged towards their responsibilities. And in the end the 7 lakh students that are there, their futures should not be toyed with.”

Finally, Pathak said, “So with folded hands I request the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders that don’t waste this session, you wasted the previous session, you wasted the one before, and wasted the one even before that. Since the last 5 years, you haven’t given the books to the children on time. This time you have a chance that in the next 10-15 days books are provided to the children. Aam Aadmi Party, with great responsibility and with great emotion attached to Delhi, demands that the 7 lakh students that study in the MCD’s schools, their futures must not be played with because once their future is spoilt the rest of the things will never be right. So I demand this from the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders that the process of purchasing books for these 7 lakh children is completed within the next 15-20 days.” 

(Disclaimer – This is Featured content)

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New Delhi: Less than two hours after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the central government of undercounting the number of deaths due to COVID-19 in the country, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan hit back at him with a counter tweet.

In a scathing reply to Gandhi, Vardhan said that doing politics over corpses was Congress’ style. He took a dig at the Congress leader for trusting a foreign publication more than the government.

“Politics on corpses, INC Style! Although vultures are disappearing from trees, it seems their spirit has been absorbed by vultures of the earth. @RahulGandhi ji trusts #NewYork more than #Delhi. One should learn to play politics on corpses from the vultures of the earth,” Vardhan tweeted.

लाशों पर राजनीति, @INCIndia स्टाइल !

पेड़ों पर से गिद्ध भले ही लुप्त हो रहे हों, लेकिन लगता है उनकी ऊर्जा धरती के गिद्धों में समाहित हो रही है।@RahulGandhi जी को #Delhi से अधिक #NewYork पर भरोसा है।

लाशों पर राजनीति करना कोई धरती के गिद्धों से सीखे।@PMOIndia @BJP4India https://t.co/29D0yWU5wS

— Dr Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) May 26, 2021

Earlier, Gandhi shared a New York Times report titled “Just How Big Could India’s True Covid Toll Be” that said the country’s total death count due to the virus could be around 6 lakhs in “a conservative scenario”, 1.6 million in a “more likely scenario” and 4.2 million in “a worse scenario”.

“Numbers don`t lie… GOI does,” Gandhi wrote.

Numbers don’t lie… GOI does. pic.twitter.com/5YLSnaeKzK

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 26, 2021

Several media reports have claimed that the COVID death toll in India is being under-reported. 

Live TV

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New Delhi: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) will commence a study to examine the effectiveness of AstraZeneca’s Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin from next week. 

This is the first of its kind study since the launch of these vaccines in the country, the survey will examine the effectiveness in preventing progression of COVID-19 into a severe form, as per a report by PTI.

According to Dr Tarun Bhatnagar, a senior scientist at ICMR’s National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE) in Chennai nearly 4,000 people above the age of 45 years who have taken either one or both doses of any of these two vaccines will be reviewed. 

“As a part of the study we will take people who are COVID-19 positive and hospitalised and compare their vaccination status with those who have tested COVID negative. The aim is to assess how effective vaccination is in preventing progression of the disease into a severe form,” Bhatnagar told PTI.

The cumulative vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 20 crore so far.

The government has also been stressing on the need to wear a mask and adherence to other COVID protocols.

India, so far, has approved the use of three vaccines against COVID-19. These include Pune-based Serum Institute’s Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin.

Russia’s Sputnik V is the third vaccine to get approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for Emergency Use Authorisation and has been used in a few private hospitals so far.

Live TV

Published at

New Delhi: BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra on Wednesday (May 26) slammed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal or criticising the Modi government over the vaccination programme, as it charged him with doing ‘politics of self-promotion’ and asked him to desist from ‘abuse and accuse’ tactics.

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said Kejriwal had earlier advocated decentralisation of the vaccination programme and opening it up, but after the Centre did so, he has taken a u-turn and is indulging in lies, misinformation and credit-taking.

Patra said the Delhi chief minister holds two to three press conferences almost daily to do politics. “He appears to be doing the politics of self-promotion. Now is not the time for such politics,” he said, adding the AAP chief should shun “accuse and abuse” tactics.

Hitting out at the Delhi CM over his claim that the national capital is running short of COVID vaccines, Patra claimed that even today the Kejriwal government has over 1.5 lakh vaccine doses. The Centre has made over 20 crore doses of vaccines available to states in 130 days, he added, noting that India ranks second only to the US in this regard. “Over 42 percent of Indians over 60 years of age have got at least one dose of vaccine,” he added.

Patra also took potshots at Kejriwal over his recent claim that his government is preparing for the third wave of the pandemic and asked why he did not prepare for the second wave. “During the second wave, Kejriwal blamed the Modi government for the lack of oxygen and other matters, then how is he preparing now for the third wave,” Patra said. He asked CM Kejriwal to apologise for his mistake of not taking adequate measures to deal with the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in the national capital.

Sambit Patra attacks Arvind Kejriwal over Pakistan reference 

Sambit Patra took a swipe at Arvind Kejriwal for his Pakistan reference. “When India was indeed in a war with Pakistan, Kejriwal was seeking evidence,” Patra said, referring to the surgical strikes by the Indian forces inside Pakistani territory to target terror camps.

Earlier in the day, Kejriwal had lashed out at the Centre holding it responsible for the shortage of vaccines in the country. The CM drew an analogy between the need for vaccines during the pandemic and the need for tanks during wars.

“It is something like Pakistan declaring a war on India and then they ask if Delhi has manufactured a nuclear bomb and Uttar Pradesh bought a tank…. It is the central government’s responsibility to procure and supply vaccines. Delhi can be held accountable if they (the Centre) give us vaccines and we do not open up centres,” he had said. 

Published at

NEW DELHI: Senior Aam Aadmi Party leader and MCD in-charge Durgesh Pathak on Tuesday said that the BJP ruled MCD has not provided books to around seven lakh students who study in the MCD schools. He said that the BJP ruled MCD has not yet started the tendering process or begun the procurement of books for these seven lakh students. Pathak said that the Aam Aadmi Party demands that the BJP ruled MCD should immediately, within 15-20 days, start the tendering, procuring and distribution process of the books for the seven lakh students. He said that the Aam Aadmi Party demands that the BJP should immediately stop playing with the future of these seven lakh students during the time of a pandemic.

Durgesh Pathak addressed a press conference on this issue and said, “In these times of Covid every section of the society has been affected. One area that has suffered in particular is the education of children; children’s studies are being conducted through online classes for the past 1-1.5 years. Governments are trying that their future is not ruined. You all must also know that in Delhi the MCD has 1,625 schools in which about 7 lakh students study; the future of these 7 lakh students is already in the dark as the level of education is not good, for the situation has deteriorated due to online classes. But the most unfortunate thing is that the books that have to be provided to students have not yet been given.”

He explained, “Generally this should happen in April. But I can understand that since the first week of April the Covid wave came, and there must have been a problem. But if the books that were to be given in April, the process of their purchase should have started earlier; its tender should have been given, books should have been obtained, the distribution was to be done in April. Yet, till now, the MCD has not begun even a single process; neither the tender process has started, nor the purchase process has been initiated, forget about distribution. You must remember that even last year through press conferences we raised the issue with you and the public. In the 2020 session, children got the books after 9 months; they should have received it in April but got it by December-January. Similarly in 2019, the books were received 8 months late. Since the last 5 years, and the situation is especially worse in North MCD, since the past 5 years children have been present in schools, they do online classes, but they don’t have books; and we all know that the poorest sections attend Delhi MCD’s schools. Such groups go (to these schools) who work as daily-wage labourers, such sections that have the least income. The future of around 7 lakh such students lies in the dark now.”

He also said, “Through the medium of media, we would like to send this message to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s leaders that last time you gave the books after 9 months, before that you gave the books 8 months latre, and even before that you gave the books 6-7 months late. At least in this session, if you want then within 10-15 days you can give the tender and obtain the books, it’s not a big deal, and start the process of distribution. Corona cases are decreasing in Delhi, so all agencies will have to slowly return to their work, all agencies will have to be slowly nudged towards their responsibilities. And in the end the 7 lakh students that are there, their futures should not be toyed with.”

Finally, Pathak said, “So with folded hands I request the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders that don’t waste this session, you wasted the previous session, you wasted the one before, and wasted the one even before that. Since the last 5 years, you haven’t given the books to the children on time. This time you have a chance that in the next 10-15 days books are provided to the children. Aam Aadmi Party, with great responsibility and with great emotion attached to Delhi, demands that the 7 lakh students that study in the MCD’s schools, their futures must not be played with because once their future is spoilt the rest of the things will never be right. So I demand this from the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders that the process of purchasing books for these 7 lakh children is completed within the next 15-20 days.” 

(Disclaimer – This is Featured content)

Published at

New Delhi: Less than two hours after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the central government of undercounting the number of deaths due to COVID-19 in the country, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan hit back at him with a counter tweet.

In a scathing reply to Gandhi, Vardhan said that doing politics over corpses was Congress’ style. He took a dig at the Congress leader for trusting a foreign publication more than the government.

“Politics on corpses, INC Style! Although vultures are disappearing from trees, it seems their spirit has been absorbed by vultures of the earth. @RahulGandhi ji trusts #NewYork more than #Delhi. One should learn to play politics on corpses from the vultures of the earth,” Vardhan tweeted.

लाशों पर राजनीति, @INCIndia स्टाइल !

पेड़ों पर से गिद्ध भले ही लुप्त हो रहे हों, लेकिन लगता है उनकी ऊर्जा धरती के गिद्धों में समाहित हो रही है।@RahulGandhi जी को #Delhi से अधिक #NewYork पर भरोसा है।

लाशों पर राजनीति करना कोई धरती के गिद्धों से सीखे।@PMOIndia @BJP4India https://t.co/29D0yWU5wS

— Dr Harsh Vardhan (@drharshvardhan) May 26, 2021

Earlier, Gandhi shared a New York Times report titled “Just How Big Could India’s True Covid Toll Be” that said the country’s total death count due to the virus could be around 6 lakhs in “a conservative scenario”, 1.6 million in a “more likely scenario” and 4.2 million in “a worse scenario”.

“Numbers don`t lie… GOI does,” Gandhi wrote.

Numbers don’t lie… GOI does. pic.twitter.com/5YLSnaeKzK

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) May 26, 2021

Several media reports have claimed that the COVID death toll in India is being under-reported. 

Live TV

Published at

New Delhi: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) will commence a study to examine the effectiveness of AstraZeneca’s Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin from next week. 

This is the first of its kind study since the launch of these vaccines in the country, the survey will examine the effectiveness in preventing progression of COVID-19 into a severe form, as per a report by PTI.

According to Dr Tarun Bhatnagar, a senior scientist at ICMR’s National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE) in Chennai nearly 4,000 people above the age of 45 years who have taken either one or both doses of any of these two vaccines will be reviewed. 

“As a part of the study we will take people who are COVID-19 positive and hospitalised and compare their vaccination status with those who have tested COVID negative. The aim is to assess how effective vaccination is in preventing progression of the disease into a severe form,” Bhatnagar told PTI.

The cumulative vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 20 crore so far.

The government has also been stressing on the need to wear a mask and adherence to other COVID protocols.

India, so far, has approved the use of three vaccines against COVID-19. These include Pune-based Serum Institute’s Covishield and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin.

Russia’s Sputnik V is the third vaccine to get approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for Emergency Use Authorisation and has been used in a few private hospitals so far.

Live TV

Published at