Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Monday drew parallels between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ventilators purchased for COVID patients by the PM Cares Fund, pointing out that, “too much false PR”, “don’t do their respective jobs” and “nowhere in sight when needed!”.
"There's a lot common between PMCares ventilator and the PM himself: too much false PR, don't do their respective jobs, nowhere in sight when needed!" Mr Gandhi tweeted.
The jab came at a time when reports came suggesting ventilators purchased with PM CARES funds and supplied to a hospital in Faridkot, Punjab has been lying unused due to technical glitches.
The ventilators in question were supplied by Bharat Electronics Limited and AgVa.
The centre retorted at these reports, calling them “unfounded” and alleged that the lack of infrastructure at the Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital was the issue.
The centre has been providing the states with different kinds of medical aid, which includes ventilators since April 2020, it added. However, it has been facing severe criticism over its handling of the pandemic.
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An immediate audit of the process of installing and operating the ventilators was ordered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and directed healthcare workers to be trained to use it if necessary.
It is unclear at this stage as to whether the audit will be performed by the CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General) since the PMO made the clarification that PM CARES does not come under the CAG purview.
Rahul Gandhi has been relentless in his attacks on PM Modi over the management of the pandemic. From slamming the centre for reports of people being arrested in Delhi for allegedly displaying posters questioning the centre on its handling of the pandemic.
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"The Prime Minister is also missing, with vaccines, oxygen and medicines. All that remains are the Central Vista project, GST on medicines and the Prime Minister's photos here and there," he tweeted.