Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday, 24 June in a meeting with the general secretaries and in-charges of the party said that state units must pressurise the central government to ramp up the vaccination process.
Gandhi also urged all members to prepare for the third wave of the pandemic that is being predicted by experts.
"On the pandemic let me say that it is absolutely essential that our party plays an active role in ensuring full vaccination coverage. At the national level, the daily rate of vaccination has to treble so that 75% of our population gets fully vaccinated by end of this year. No doubt, this is dependent entirely on the adequacy of vaccine supply. We must continue to put pressure on the Union government which has, at our Party’s insistence, finally taken on the responsibility for this,” Gandhi said.
She urged members to ensure that registration takes place and that vaccine hesitancy is overcome and vaccine wastage is minimised.
‘Must Prepare for the Third Wave’
Gandhi said that the third wave needs the party’s urgent attention to ensure minimum spread of the calamity.
"Experts are already talking of a possible third wave a few months from now. Some of them have been pointing to the vulnerability of children in the coming months. This, too, requires our urgent attention and we must take proactive measures so that they are spared this calamity. We have to take steps to be better prepared if and when this strikes,” she said.
She said that the second wave during the past four months has been devastating for lakhs of families all over the country, adding that the country must learn from the 'traumatic experience so that we do not have to experience it yet again.'
Drawing attention to the comprehensive ‘white paper’ on COVID-19 mismanagement released recently, Gandhi said that ‘it is very detailed and needs to be disseminated widely.’
‘Fuel Prices Hurting Farmers, Citizens’
Gandhi further commented on the rising fuel prices and prices of other commodities in the country, saying that they have 'skyrocketed causing wide-spread distress.'
“You are all aware of the intolerable burden being imposed by rising fuel prices. Agitations have been organised to highlight how it is hurting farmers and millions of families. But quite apart from fuel, prices of many other essential commodities like pulses and edible oils have skyrocketed, causing wide-spread distress," she said.
"This price rise is taking place at a time when livelihoods are being lost in unprecedented numbers, when there is mounting unemployment and when economic recovery is not a reality," Gandhi added.
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