Let’s face it: This second year into the pandemic has been more bizarre than the previous one. Few politicians made comments that made us roll on the floor, either with a good laugh or a greater headache. We're not saying that politicians are not smart people. It’s just that these following statements will make you want to hug your degree certificate just a little bit harder!
1. '95% of people don't need petrol': Uttar Pradesh Minister Upendra Tiwari
Uttar Pradesh Minister Upendra Tiwari said only a handful of people use four-wheelers and need petrol. 95 per cent of people don't need petrol, he claimed. "Only a handful of people use 4-wheelers & need petrol. 95% of people don't need petrol. Over 100 crore vaccine doses were administered free of cost to people...If you compare (fuel price) to per capita income, prices are very low now," news agency ANI quoted Tiwari as saying.
2. Fuel price hiked to provide free vaccines, says MoS Petroleum Rameswar Teli
Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Rameswar Teli said that the fuel prices are rising due to free COVID-19 vaccines. Teli said: "Our government has aimed to vaccinate 130 crore people of the country at free of cost. From where will the money for COVID-19 vaccines come?" "The cost of the vaccines has come from these taxes (on fuel)," he added. Teli said that the funds of his ministry were recently diverted to the Health Ministry to tackle the COVID-19 situation. Comparing packaged mineral water and petrol, Teli said a bottle of Himalayan water is costlier than a liter of petrol. He said, "If you want to drink Himalayan water, then you have to pay Rs. 100 for one bottle."
3. ‘Oxygen demand needs to be kept under control’ – Piyush Goyal
As reports of scarcity and desperate pleas for oxygen supply pour in from different parts of the country, Union minister Piyush Goyal thinks state governments are to blame as they aren’t “controlling” demand enough.
“State governments should keep demand (for medical oxygen) under control. The demand-side management is as important as the supply-side management. Containing COVID-19 spread is the responsibility of state governments and they should fulfil this responsibility,” Goyal told ANI.
4. ‘The pandemic is over, we don’t need masks’ – Himanta Biswa Sarma
Assam health minister and BJP heavyweight Himanta Biswa Sarma decided at the start of April – when the upward curve in COVID-19 cases was clearly visible – that the pandemic is now over and everyone can take off their protective masks.
“There is no Covid in Assam… there is no need to wear a face mask now in Assam… If there is a need I will inform the people,” Sarma had said. He stood by this remark even after criticism, saying Assam had done remarkable well in bringing down the number of infections and so masks were no longer needed.
5. ‘People get old, they have to die’ – Prem Singh Patel
BJP minister from Madhya Pradesh Prem Singh Patel thinks that the increasing number of deaths India is seeing during the pandemic cannot be helped – because people get old and have to die anyway.
