After receiving criticism from Sonia Gandhi on the Government handling of the crisis, today, BJP chief Jagat Prakash Nadda responded to the Congress president through a letter alleging “consistent negativity, duplicity and pettiness.”

He also threw criticism of large election rallies held by Prime Minister Narendra Modi right back at the Congress leadership.

Yesterday, at a Congress Working Committee meeting, Sonia Gandhi had said, “The country is paying a horrendous price for the Modi government’s neglect of the pandemic, indeed its willful patronage of super-spreader events that were allowed for partisan gains.”

On which, J P Nadda retaliated by writing, “The Congress Working Committee talks about the Modi Government “abdicating” its responsibility on vaccination. Is there so much of a communication gap between the Congress party and the states it shares power in? In April itself, topmost Congress leaders were calling for ‘decentralization of vaccination’.”

He further added, “Your party, under your leadership, is doing no favours to itself by opposing lockdowns and then demanding for the same (sic), ignoring the Centre’s advisories on the second wave of Covid and then saying they did not get any information, holding massive election rallies in Kerala causing a spike in Covid cases while grandstanding about election rallies elsewhere, supporting protests but speaking about following Covid guidelines.”

“Even when the second wave was on the rise, your party leaders were happier being seen in super spreader political events in north India, where there was no regard for masks or social distancing. This is not an era when such information can be erased from public memory.”

He charged Congress with manipulating the minds of many Indians by mocking “Made-in-India” Covaxin and creating doubts in the minds of people.

“In a nation that has almost no recent history of vaccine hesitancy, your party has the dubious record of trying to actively create it, that too in the middle of a once-in-a-century pandemic,” the BJP president said.

Nadda further added, “The COVID-19 vaccine made in India does not belong to any political party or leader- it belongs to the nation. Yet, the Congress Party could not do the right thing instead only did the wrong politics”.

Taking on Sonia Gandhi’s criticism of the government “abdicating its responsibility on vaccination”, Nadda said, in April “Topmost Congress leaders” were calling for decentralization of vaccination.

Nadda also criticized opposition to what he called a “New trend in the Congress party” – to put all blame on the Central Vista project.

On the need for a new parliament, Nadda said, “I would like to remind you that the need for a new Parliament was raised as early as the UPA times. Former Speaker, respected Meira Kumar Ji herself underscored the need for a new Parliament building. The Union Urban Development Minister has addressed a large number of other queries regarding the project. Yet, Congress does not believe in facts. People are also contrasting the Congress’ stand on Central Vista with the Chhattisgarh Government going ahead to build a new assembly complex.

He signed off the letter by saying, “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India’s fight against COVID is driven by an unwavering belief in principles of science, support to innovation, trust in our COVID warriors, and cooperative federalism. I assure you that the Government of India will continue being proactive so that we defeat the virus and get ahead with economic as well as social empowerment.”