New Delhi: With the situation worsening in Delhi and Mumbai, coronavirus was back as the hot topic on prime time news. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, not unusually, was attacked by some usual suspects.
And in that vein, Times Now’s Navika Kumar hosted a debate on— ‘Are Gandhis hurting Congress?’
This was prompted by Rahul Gandhi’s constant attacks on the Modi government regarding the standoff in Ladakh with China. Gandhi had tweeted Monday, “The media is muzzled and terrified. The truth seems dormant. But it flows in the blood of every single Indian army officer and soldier. They know exactly what is happening in Ladakh.”
The media is muzzled and terrified. The truth seems dormant.
But it flows in the blood of every single Indian army officer and soldier.
They know exactly what is happening in Ladakh. https://t.co/qdE7ez8zrD
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 8, 2020
Kumar talked about the ‘internal power tussle’ in Congress with a very intricate ‘Gandhi parivar’ (family) tree diagram on the screen. A headline under Rahul’s name read: “FEELS HE BRINGS NOTHING TO THE TABLE”. Geez.
On News 18 India, Amish Devgan was also annoyed with Rahul. He noted “China par Modi ko ghera, apno ne mooh phera…Rahul Gandhi ne China ke mudde par Modi sarkar par tanj kaste hue kaha ki hakeekat toh sabko pata hai lekin Modi sarkar dil behlane mein jooti hai.” (Rahul Gandhi instigated the Modi government on the China issue and said that everyone knows the reality, but the Modi government is just tending to feelings).
Devgan counter-questioned him, “Lekin issi beech Congress ke kille se badi khabar aayi ki Congress ka bachaav karne wale, Sanjay Jha aur Sanjay Nirupam ne khud hi Congress ko gher liya aakhir kar Congress Party mein antrik loktantra ki kami hai.” (Congress’ Sanjay Jha and Sanjay Nirupam are criticising Congress themselves, is there no space for internal democracy?)
He continued his attack on Congress and said, “Kaha jaa raha hai ki Congress mein sab kuch ram bharose chalta hai,” (everything in the Congress happens with God’s will).
Aaj Tak’s Sweta Singh also had her eyes trained on the LAC standoff in Ladakh between India and China — “Ek taraf yeh sab ladayi chal rahi hai, aur doosri taraf ek aur ahem morcha hai jo china ke saath khula hai.” (along with the standoff in Ladakh, there is also a movement by China that India has to face).
Singh was referring to an economic package offered by China to other countries, “China ki yeh koshish hai ki market par kabza kar lena. Yeh ladai purani hai.” (China is trying to hijack the market. This is an old habit.)
Onto coronavirus and on NDTV 24×7, there was a war of statistics going on between Sreenivasan Jain and BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal.
Chahal kept delivering statistic after statistic on the state of hospitals in Mumbai, but refused to answer the one question Jain asked — “How many ICUs do you have and how many are full?”
After several verbal jabs from Jain, Chahal revealed that “1,149 ICU beds out of which 30 beds are currently vacant”.
Jain was visibly taken aback and said — “Just 30 beds, sir?” But Chahal went back to tossing around random statistics.
India Today’s Rajdeep Sardesai asked, “Is the Delhi crisis getting worse?” and brought the relative of a deceased Covid patient as an anecdotal voice on the state of Delhi’s health infrastructure. Vikrant, the relative, narrated how they were turned away from several hospitals in search of Covid treatment.
Dr Arvind Kumar from Delhi’s Ganga Ram Hospital was quite riled up and said, “Rajdeep, 300 Covid positive patients are being treated in Ganga Ram today. These people who are accusing Ganga Ram of profiteering, I request them to come to hospital tomorrow morning… they will realise the psychology, and how they feel”.
AAP leader Atishi chose the blame-game narrative. “Why is AIIMS …not being declared a Covid hospital…and why is it that RML is refusing to…fill the data in the [hospital beds] app. Why is it that central government hospitals are not cooperating?” she asked.
For a change, Rajat Sharma featured a ground report on India TV — “Sarkari hospitals mein beds khali pade hai. Par private hospitals par zyaada pressure hai.” (Beds in government hospitals are empty, private hospitals are under larger pressure).
He also brought up the example of Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi, “Ganga Ram hospital ke khilaaf do din pehle Kejriwal sarkar ne FIR darj karwayi thi, FIR mein kaha gaya tha ki corona testing rules ka violation hua hai,” (Kejriwal government filed an FIR against this hospital claiming that testing rules for coronavirus had been violated). No wonder Dr Arvind Kumar was miffed.
I never read The Print. It is so inane. Accidentally the site opened and iam commenting. The print is so insipid and intellectually demeaning. The Shekhar Guptas, the Sardesais, the Barkhas and other bought outs have done a great disservice to the nation and the profession by selling themselves. I only wish and curse that all anti nationals and their families should face retribution.