Coronavirus: Rahul Gandhi takes a subtle jibe at HCQ export, Modi-Trump friendship
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Trump, in his daily briefing, said he had a conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in which he asked him to lift India's hold on the export of Hydroxychloroquine, the anti-malarial drug being used in the treatment of coronavirus patients. Otherwise there would be consequences.
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi is not impressed with United States Donald Trump's hint of a possible retaliation if India does not export an anti-malarial drug. He took to Twitter to convey his resentment, but avoided taking names.
This came in the wake of the Central government deciding to lift ban on the export of the drug. The World Health Organisation had also recommended to use this anti-malarial drug as preventive medicine, including for health workers medics and paramedics.
"Friendship isn’t about retaliation. India must help all nations in their hour of need but lifesaving medicines should be made available to Indians in ample quantities first," Rahul Gandhi tweeted on Tuesday.
Friendship isn’t about retaliation. India must help all nations in their hour of need but lifesaving medicines should be made available to Indians in ample quantities first.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 7, 2020
It so happened that Trump, in his daily briefing, said he had a conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in which he asked him to lift India's hold on the export of Hydroxychloroquine, the anti-malarial drug being used in the treatment of coronavirus patients.
Trump added he saw no reason why India would not lift the hold on the US order of the medicine, and that PM Modi said he would consider the request of releasing the order to the US.
The US President further said, "So I wouldn't be surprised if that was a decision he'd have to tell me that I spoke to him Sunday morning I called him and I said we'd appreciate your allowing our supply to come out. If he doesn't allow it to come out, that would be okay. But there would be retaliation. Why wouldn't there be?"
Also read | 'Why wouldn't there be': Trump hints at retaliation if India doesn't send anti-malarial drug
To this end, the government decided to lift a partial ban on hydroxychloroquine after Trump requested.
For the unversed, Congress has often poked fun at PM Modi's 'hugplomacy', saying foreign leaders seem to be running away because of the prime minister's hugs. The party implied that despite his "hugplomacy", countries like the US would never side with India.
Meanwhile, the death toll in India due to novel coronavirus rose to 114 and the number of cases in the country climbed to 4,421 on Tuesday, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).
The number of active COVID-19 cases stood at 3,981. As many as 325 people were cured and discharged, and one had migrated.
In the US, there have been 10,335 deaths from coronavirus and 347,003 positive cases, according to the tally by John Hopkins University.