Telangana Ministers hit back at Nadda over "low COVID-19 test" remarks; Allege Centre diverted kits
Hyderabad: Telangana Health Minister E Rajender on Sunday hit back at BJP chief J P Nadda for criticising the state's handling of COVID-19, saying he made baseless allegations and asked the national party not to indulge in "cheap politics".
Seeking to turn the tables, he accused the Centre of diverting testing kits meant for the state and giving only two lakh N95 masks and 'some' PPE kits as if "it gave alms" while the state on its own procured the necessary gadgets to battle the coronavirus.
In a strongly worded reaction a day after Nadda questioned "low" testing in Telangana, Rajender asked him to look at the situation in BJP-ruled states before criticising others.
"The Centre gave 2 lakh N95 masks and some PPE kits as if it gave alms. The testing kits meant for Telangana were diverted to Kolkata. We got 14 lakh N95 masks and 10 lakh PPE kits on our own. After Kerala and Tamil Nadu, Telangana is racing ahead in the healthcare sector. Telangana is a role model to the country," the Minister told reporters here.
State Finance Minister T Harish Rao also slammed Nadda and asked how a former union health minister could speak in a tone "demeaning" the services of doctors and healthcare staff.
Addressing a virtual rally in Telangana on the completion of one year in office by the Narendra Modi government in its second term, Nadda on Saturday found fault with the TRS government, saying it was not testing enough for COVID-19.
The fight against COVID-19 had not happened the way it should be in Telangana, he had claimed.
The testing capacity in the state was less than even a small state like Himachal Pradesh. A young journalist in Telangana died due to shortage of oxygen, he alleged.
"However, Telangana moved ahead in corruption... There is corruption in every project," he had charged.
Rajender said the Central teams have appreciated Telangana government's efforts to contain COVID-19, adding over 13,000 died across the country but only around 200 in the state.
"We have scrupulously followed all guidelines issued by ICMR... except politics, BJP is not concerned over saving people's lives," he alleged.
"BJP should stop cheap politics. A Delhi leader speaking gully (street) language is unfortunate. Don't make baseless allegations without evidence. Centre is not giving grant's free. States are paying taxes," Rajender said.
"Telangana has been successful in containing coronavirus.
BJP should first look at its own (BJP ruled) states before criticising others. It was Telangana that first detected the Markaz (Delhi) cases. The Centre failed in that, though Markaz was just a stone's throw from Parliament," he said.
He was referring to the Tablighi jamaat headquarters in Nizamuddin in Delhi which turned out to be a hotspot for the coronavirus in March with its members, who attended a meet, travelling to different parts of the state.
Rajender maintained Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao was the first CM to seek a ban on international travel to prevent spread of coronavirus from foreign countries.
Finance Minister Harish Rao said 'politicising' coronavirus that has become a threat to the human survival was akin to demeaning national security.
"Nadda should remember this.Having served as the Union Health Minister, how could Nadda speak in a tone demeaning the services of doctors and healthcare staff? Will that not demoralise the health care workers?" he asked.
As on Saturday, Telangana recorded 7,072 COVID-19 positive cases and 203 deaths due to the virus while the number of cumulative tests stood at 53,757.
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Putin meets Iran's FM Araghchi, says Russia ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia
Moscow (PTI): Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday met Russian President Vladimir Putin, who hailed the Iranian people for fighting bravely and heroically for their sovereignty and said Moscow is ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia as soon as possible.
Araghchi, who held talks with Omani and Pakistani leadership before arriving in Russia, met Putin in St. Petersburg and thanked him for supporting Iran, state-owned TASS news agency reported.
"Russia is ready to do everything in its power to ensure that peace in the Middle East is achieved as soon as possible," Putin said during his meeting with Araghchi, which was also attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Revealing that he received a message from Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei last week, Putin asked Araghchi to convey his "gratitude for this message and best wishes for his health and well-being."
He praised the Iranian people for fighting "bravely and heroically" for their sovereignty, Iran's state-run PRESS TV reported.
"We really hope that, based on the courage and desire for independence, the Iranian people, under the guidance of the new leader, will weather this difficult period of trials and peace will come,” Putin said.
He also stressed that Russia “intends to maintain” its strategic relations with Iran.
Araghchi said that the world witnessed Iran’s strength in countering the US during the recent war, and that the Islamic Republic is a "stable and powerful establishment."
"With their courage, the Iranian people succeeded in resisting the US aggression and will be able to endure it,” he said.
He said that it became clear that Iran has “great friends and allies” like Russia, and conveyed “warmest greetings” from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian to the Russian leader.
Araghchi said relations between Moscow and Tehran represent a “strategic partnership at the highest level” and will continue to develop "regardless of circumstances."
"We are grateful to you for the solid and strong positions in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said.
Foreign Minister Lavrov said that the talks between President Putin and the Iranian Foreign Minister were "useful and constructive."
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said that Russia is "ready to provide any good offices, any mediation services that are acceptable to the parties."
"We will be ready to do everything so that ultimately peace ensues, guaranteed peace, and that there is no return to hostilities," Peskov was quoted as saying by TASS.
He was asked how Moscow can assist in future negotiations on the Iranian settlement.
Araghchi arrived in Russia after his whirlwind trip to Islamabad, which, according to him, was “very productive” and involved “good consultations" with Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, amid uncertainty over the second round of peace talks to resolve the war in West Asia.
"We held good consultations with our friends in Pakistan. The trip was successful. We assessed the outcome of our recent (meetings) and discussed in what direction and under what conditions talks can move on,” Araghchi said in a video posted on his Telegram channel upon his arrival in St Petersburg.
Referring to the second round of talks between the US and Iran to resolve the conflict in West Asia, Araghchi said: "Developments have taken place in the negotiations."
"Despite some progress in earlier rounds, the talks failed to reach their objectives due to the Americans' approach, the excessive demands they made, and the wrong approaches they adopted. Therefore, it was necessary to consult with our friends in Pakistan to review the latest situation,” Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted him as saying.
He said that the trip to Pakistan was a good opportunity to review developments related to the US-Israeli war against Iran, expressing confidence that “these consultations and coordination between the two countries will be highly significant.”
Araghchi arrived at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport early Monday, where he was welcomed by Russian officials and Iran’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, the report said.
The first round of peace talks between Iran and the US, held on April 11 and 12, failed to bring the desired result for the parties to the conflict.
The Iranian minister arrived in Islamabad for the second time on Sunday after a short visit to Oman, where he held talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said on security in the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic efforts to end the Iran-US conflict.
After Araghchi left Pakistan for Oman on Saturday, President Donald Trump announced that US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would no longer be going to Islamabad for talks with Iran, contending that Washington held all the cards on the matter.
Trump on Sunday reiterated that the US and Iranian officials can talk by phone for a peace solution to the conflict.
On Tuesday, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
The war began when the US and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders. The retaliation by the Islamic Republic extended the war to the entire Gulf region.
