Hubballi: Quoting Late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Mines and Coal Pralhad Joshi said Congress is known for doing politics of ‘cash and lash (dead bodies)’. “Except in India, in no other country the opposition is indulging politics over dead bodies,” he said.
Speaking to reporters, Joshi said Congress is doing politics even in the pandemic, the intellectually bankrupt party despite the best efforts by the Union Government to curb the spreading of the pandemic, they are indulging in spreading lies and creating fear over the virus and because of their misinformation spread over the vaccine; the drive was initially slowed down; he charged.
Joshi said he was unaware of any cabinet reshuffle or expansion at the Centre. He said any such decision would be taken at the highest level.
Joshi also rejected the talks of change of guard at Uttar Pradesh, which is likely to go to the polls in the next eight months. “Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has established himself as best Chief Minister of the country. I know him personally, I and Yogi used to sit together in the Parliament.”
He controlled Gunda-raj in the State and gave a good administration.
Joshi also expressed his satisfaction over the handling of the Covid situation by the Union government. “We do not deny the fact that the second wave of Covid was harsh. It affected several people as the virus spread quick. However, within 10-12 days the Union government could bring the situation under control by improving oxygen and medicine supply,” he claimed.
He said that by improving medical infrastructure the government is preparing for the expected third wave which is expected to spread late in October or November.
On a question, why the Union Government sent around seven crore Covishield doses to foreign countries? To this Joshi said the country and Serum Institute of India were under the compulsion to supply Covishield to other countries.
“Covidshield was developed in collaboration with SII in collaboration with a UK based company that manufactured the vaccine. As per the agreement between the company and the UK company, SII had to supply 40% of its production to other countries,” and added that the Congress is misleading the country over this issue.
