Masks are back in the Parliament and Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the way with it, amid fresh concerns over Covid-19 which has erupted in Asia after virus scare in China.
PM Modi, Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and other MPs were seen wearing masks during proceedings of the Winter Session in the Parliament on Thursday.
This comes amid the Health Ministry's advisory urging all citizens to wear masks in public places while Om Birla also urged all MPs to adhere to Covid-19 protocols in the House and spread awareness about Covid-appropriate behaviour.
The government's health advisory comes after four cases of BF.7 sub-variant of Omicron, which has been reported in China, were detected in India on Wednesday.
PM Modi is also going to hold a high-level meeting on Thursday to review the Covid situation in the country. The health minister will also address both houses of Parliament on Thursday to brief about the Covid situation in the country.
BJP targets Rahul Gandhi
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said that both the Chairs in the Parliament requested the MPs to wear face masks during proceedings but leaders from the opposition didn't wear masks, which shows their attitude towards Covid guidelines.
The BJP also took this opportunity to slam Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for not adhering to Covid-19 protocols during the ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra.
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla gave PM Modi's example to call out the Gandhi scion.
"On one hand PM Modi wears a mask in Parliament ; on the other hand Rahul on his Covid Spread karo Yatra?
"Responsible leadership Vs Entitled Dynasts who put parivarik interest above national interest, parivar above protocol, party hit above people’s hit," Shehzad tweeted.
Health Minister Mansukh Madanviya on Wednesday, even wrote a letter to Rahul Gandhi and Rajastham CM Ashok Gehlot, asking the Congress to follow Covid-19 protocol in the Bharat Jodo Yatra or posptpone it in national interest.
