Jaishankar rebuts Jairam Ramesh over oxygen 'shortage' in embassies

NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Sunday took on the Congress, which had attempted to project that the Central government had collapsed and foreign embassies were reaching out to the opposition for help with their Covid-19 medical emergencies.

On Sunday, the New Zealand Embassy in New Delhi tweeted an SOS tagging youth leaders of the Congress, saying, "Could you please help with oxygen cylinder urgently at the New Zealand High Commission? Thank you."

Youth Congress president B.V. Srinivas responded to the request and tweeted an hour later saying, "We have reached New Zealand High Commission with oxygen cylinders. Please open the gates and save a soul on time."

However, the New Zealand Embassy apologized soon after, saying, "We are trying all sources to arrange for oxygen cylinders urgently and our appeal has unfortunately been misinterpreted, for which we are sorry."

The apology came after Jaishankar rebutted Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who had on Saturday accused the government of being completely dysfunctional and unresponsive towards medical emergency at the Philippines Embassy.

On Saturday, the Indian Youth Congress had tweeted a video claiming that its members were providing medical emergency services at the Embassy of the Philippines in New Delhi.

Ramesh tweeted the video, saying, "While I thank @IYC for its stellar efforts, as an Indian citizen I'm stunned that the youth wing of the opposition party is attending to SOS calls from foreign embassies. Is the MEA sleeping @DrSJaishankar?"

To this, Jaishankar tweeted on Sunday morning, "MEA checked with the Philippines Embassy. This was an unsolicited supply as they had no Covid cases. Clearly for cheap publicity by you know who. Giving away cylinders like this when there are people in desperate need of oxygen is simply appalling. Jairamji, MEA never sleeps; our people know across the world. MEA also never fakes; we know who does." (IANS)

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