Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Twitter on Wednesday that he would cancel his campaign trip to West Bengal tomorrow and instead hold high-level meetings with authorities about the current Covid-19 situation in the country.
“Tomorrow, high-level meetings will be held to review the current # COVID19 situation. For this reason, I would not go to West Bengal,” tweeted PM Modi, who would promote the Bhartiya Janata Party.
Earlier, Congress Chairman Rahul Gandhi announced that he would cancel all rallies planned in the state as cases continue to increase at an unprecedented pace. He had urged other political leaders to look into the same thing.
“Given the situation in Covid, I am suspending all my public rallies in West Bengal. I would advise all political leaders to think deeply about the consequences of large public rallies under the current circumstances,” he said in a tweet.
The eight-phase elections in West Bengal began on March 27th. After today’s vote in the sixth phase, two more phases remain. The vote will take place on April 26th and 29th. The vote will be counted on May 2nd.
Elections are being held today in 43 assembly seats across the state, starting at 7 a.m. – 17 in North 24 Parganas District, nine each in Nadia and Uttar Dinajpur, and eight in Purba Bardhaman. By 1:00 p.m., voter turnout of around 57.03% was recorded.
PM Modi has held several virtual interactions and high-level meetings with state and central ministers, leading doctors and pharmaceutical companies to find solutions to the rampant increase in Covid-19 cases in the country. The meetings also shed light on the Prime Minister’s order to promote Covid-19 vaccination in the country by giving anyone over the age of 18 the opportunity to receive the sting from May 1, 2021.
Earlier today he chaired a high-level meeting to review oxygen supplies across the country and discuss ways to increase availability as the more deadly second wave of Covid-19 hits the country.
During the meeting, Modi called for innovative ways to supply health facilities with oxygen. “States should strongly refrain from hoarding oxygen,” said the prime minister at today’s review meeting on oxygen supply and availability.
PM Modi also instructed officials to keep the states oxygenated smoothly and unhindered. “Fix responsibility with the local administration in cases of disability,” said PM Modi.
Meanwhile, the worsening COVID-19 situation has increased the demand for medical oxygen and beds for patients, and many states are reporting a lack of basic medical care.
The availability of oxygen is a key element in the treatment of certain diseases associated with Covid infection.
India, currently witnessing a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, has reported more than 3 lakh fresh infections in the past 24 hours