BJP leaders attack Rahul over his views on COVID-19 lockdown

By Pragya Kaushika
New Delhi [India], April 16 (ANI): BJP leaders on Thursday slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks that lockdown is not a solution to the coronavirus crisis and said that Congress chief ministers had also supported its extension to contain the spread of COVID-19.
BL Santhosh, General Secretary (Organisation) of BJP said that Gandhi's views are not in sync with his own party leaders and ICMR had rejected the Congress leader's charge that India was testing less.
Santhosh said in a series of tweets that five lakh rapid kits of two test types have arrived in the country.
"The lockdown is not the solution according to Rahul Gandhi. Then why did the Chief Ministers of Congress partnered governments extend the lockdown first, "he said.
"Total tests conducted in last 24 hours is 30,043 taking the total tests to 2,90,401. One of the highest at this level of infections across globe. Capacity of ICMR labs if worked in 2 shifts is to conduct 78000 tests. Today 5L rapid kits of two test types have arrived . ICMR," he said.
Santhosh said ICMR has said that India's ratio tests to positive cases of 24:1 is highest in the world and more than of Italy , US and Japan.
"ICMR rejects charge that India is testing less . It tells India's ratio tests to positive cases 24 : 1 is highest in the world .. more than Italy , US , Japan . ICMR will also take up pool testing of 5 samples henceforth," he said.
Union minister Giriraj Singh took potshots at Gandhi without naming him and noted that chief ministers of all states including those from Congress have unconditionally supported the lockdown.
"Lockdown is the only solution in the world for the pandemic and prime minister's decision to impose lockdown was accepted by chief minister of every state and recommended by leaders from across the world and even by the World Health Organisation. Till such time that a vaccine is found for this virus, rural as well as the urban population is accepting lockdown wholeheartedly," Singh told ANI.
He said that attempts at creating confusion regarding the availability of food should be thwarted.
"No one should spread the rumour that the country will have a shortage of foodgrains. The country has it in abundance," Singh said.
Minister of State for Agriculture Kailash Choudhary said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken the right decision to enforce lockdown in the country.
"There is no vaccine and no other measure to thwart COVID-19. Prime minister took a strong decision. Had lockdown not implemented 8 lakh people would have been suffering from COVID-19 according to some estimates. It is a chain that needs to be broken and we will do it with lockdown," he said.
He said Gandhi's views on lockdown were not in keeping with scientific temper.
Gandhi had said during a press conference through video conferencing here that lockdown "is like a pause button" and "in no way a solution" to the COVID-19 virus.
"It is as if you hit pause and stop the virus in its tracks until the lockdown. When we come out of the lockdown, the virus is going to start its work again. So it is very important that we have a strategy to come out of the lockdown," he said. (ANI)