New Delhi:

Rahul Gandhi, in one of his sharpest attacks yet on the government’s handling of Covid and the deadly second surge, said today that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was responsible for the second wave and that he “did not understand Covid at all”. The Congress leader also predicted “multiple waves” in the country if vaccinations continued at the current pace.

“The first wave no one understood…but the second wave is the PM’s responsibility. His stunts… His failure to fulfil his responsibilities is the reason for the second wave,” the Congress leader said, addressing a virtual press conference.

“Unfortunately, the Prime Minister is an event manager. He cannot deal with more than one event at a time. Anything happens, he will organise an event and deal only with that. We cannot do with an event manager in such times. We need effective and speedy administration,” he commented, also accusing PM Modi of “ignorance” on the virus.

“The Prime Minister is the head of the country. He is responsible for its well-being. The buck stops with the Prime Minister. But the Prime Minister lives in a bubble… no one talks to him because of the way he handles things. So, in effect, the ship is moving without a clue,” said the Congress leader, heaping blame on the PM.

“The PM is trying to repair his image but his image is gone… It is time the Prime Minister stands up and leads the nation. These are the times where he has to show his leadership, his courage, his strength. The Prime Minister must stand up and deliver… don’t be afraid. Time has come to show what a good leader you are. So, please deliver.”

Vaccines were the only permanent solution to Covid and lockdowns, social distancing and masks were temporary ones, Mr Gandhi said, stressing that without a proper vaccination strategy, India would witness multiple waves of infection.

India, he said, had vaccinated only three per cent of its population, leaving the rest open to infection.

“I directly told the PM that if India does not sort out its vaccination strategy, there will be multiple waves since the virus adapts. If vaccinations continue at this rate, we will have a third and fourth wave. Because the virus will mutate. We are fighting a war with the coronavirus, which is an evolving disease. But the government thinks it is fighting the opposition, not the virus,” the Congress MP said.

He accused the government of declaring early victory over Covid and using vaccine exports to build its global image while mocking the opposition. “This is not the time to spread lies. The government should be truthful. It is a question of the country’s future, saving lives. We are not the government’s enemy – the opposition is showing the way. We would not have gone through this crisis if they had heard us in February,” he said.

During a Q and A, Mr Gandhi was asked about reports of Congress-ruled states misreporting Covid death figures. “I spoke to the Chief Ministers of Congress-ruled states, told them that lying will only harm them. The reality needs to be accepted. Actual death numbers might be disturbing but we must stick to telling the truth,” he replied.