Center Advises Rahul Gandhi To Halt The Bharat Jodo Yatra If The Covid Restrictions Are Not Followed

The Bharat Jodo Yatra entered Haryana on Wednesday from Rajasthan, and Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has written to Rahul Gandhi and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot requesting that they make sure that the Covid procedures are being followed. According to the health minister's letter, the yatra should be terminated if it is not possible to adhere to the Covid restrictions due to the "public health emergency" situation. Only persons who have had their vaccinations should take part in the yatra, the health ministry stated in the letter, and masks and hand sanitizers should be used. The letter is being released as new health worries are being raised in China due to the Covid epidemic. 

The US, South Korea, Brazil, Japan, and other countries have all seen an increase in Covid cases, and the Center has urged all states and UTs to speed up whole genome sequencing of the positive cases.

The focus of the Center will continue to be on its prior five-fold strategy of test-track-treat-treat-vaccination and adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour, according to Mandaviya in his letter to the states on Covid alertness. Along with the secretaries of the health and Ayush ministries, the departments of pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director General Rajiv Bahl, Member (Health) of NITI Aayog V K Paul, and the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization, the health ministry will also review the Covid situation in the nation today (NTAGI). Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury of the Congress has questioned whether Covid procedures were followed during PM Modi's campaign rallies prior to the Gujarat assembly election as a result of the growing Covid concern translating to a potential hurdle for Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra. "I believe Mansukh Mandaviya disapproves of Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra, but others do and are participating in it. The public's attention has been diverted by Mandaviya, according to Adhir Chowdhury.Aside from the rise of Covid instances in various nations, notably China, three BJP MPs from Rajasthan expressed concerns over Covid procedures in a letter to Mandaviya. Additionally, the MPs have asked the Union minister to make sure that participants are segregated before and after the march.

Every day, hundreds of people sign up for the Bharat Jodo Yatra. On September 7, the yatra left Kanyakumari and travelled through the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh. The yatra left Rajasthan on Wednesday and entered Haryana, where the first phase would come to an end and resume on January 6 after a respite.