New Delhi: The joy of Modi bashers including the Congress and Left parties and a section of Indian intellectuals was short lived.
Typical to his characteristic, US President Donald Trump diluted his stance vis-a-vis retaliation and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and called him ‘great’ yet again !
“I bought millions of doses. More than 29 million. I spoke to PM Modi, a lot of it (hydroxychloroquine) comes out of India. I asked him if he would release it? He was Great. He was really good. You know they (India) put a stop because they wanted it (the medicine) for India,” Trump told his trusted media organisation Fox News.
Earlier, Modi bashers had slammed government decision to lift the export ban on the item and called it like ‘surrender’ before the US President’s hegemony! The missives and caustic comments from the anti-Modi lobby had also gone viral on social media.
However, in response to queries on the entire issue, MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava has said : “We have seen some attempts by sections of the media to create unnecessary controversy over the issue of COVID19 related drugs and pharmaceuticals. Like any responsible government, our first obligation is to ensure that there are adequate stocks of medicines for the requirement of our own people. In order to ensure this, some temporary steps were taken to restrict exports of a number of pharmaceutical products”.
He further said: “After having confirmed the availability of medicines for all possible contingencies currently envisaged, these restrictions have been largely lifted. With regard to paracetamol and Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), they will be kept in a licensed category and their demand position would be continuously monitored”.
Shrivastava also has said: “We will also be supplying these essential drugs to some nations who have been particularly badly affected by the pandemic. We would, therefore, discourage any speculation in this regard or any attempts to politicise the matter”.
A big fuss triggered in a section of media and Modi’s traditional detractors after government lifted the ban on exportof certain medicines.Congress party and CPI(M) have – as expected – directed their tirade against the Modi government.
India had banned export of hydroxychloroquine on March 25 in the midst of suggestions that the drug could be used to fight COVID-19.
CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury has flayed lifting of the ban and said: “The polit bureau of the CPI(M) demands that this decision is rescinded in the supreme interest of our people’s health and safety, which face a major threat from the pandemic”.
Congress leader Kapil Sibal had tweeted: “Lifting temporary ban on hydroxychloroquine and paracetamol Modiji: UPA remembers your advice on Chinese intrusions. You said Look them in the eye. Was time to look Trump in the eye. But He threatened, you gave in. Where is the 56 inch chest?”
On April 7, Gujarat Chief Minister said three Gujarat-based pharma companies will supply the drug to US. He said three companies from the state will export anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine to the United States.”Three Gujarat-based companies have already started production of that drug ….To be on the safer side, we have kept aside one crore tablet for our own use,” the CM said.
“Gujarat is shining the world over. US President Trump has been vigorously demanding that drug from India. Now, when the Centre has given permission for its export, Gujarat is all set to send it to the United States,” Rupani told a radio channel.
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