Even Pakistan, Afghanistan handled Covid-19 better than India: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday criticised the Modi government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic saying “even Pakistan and Afghanistan handled Covid-19 better than India”.

The former Congress President tagged a graph of the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) GDP projections for several countries in the neighbourhood, with India’s economy expected to contract by 10.3%, the highest among the group.

Read | PM Modi does not accept real challenges; farm laws will end up destroying food security system: Rahul Gandhi

“Another solid achievement by the BJP government,” Rahul said.

According to the IMF, the Indian economy is expected to contract the most – 10.3% – among countries such as China, Bhutan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal and Afghanistan.

However, the IMF said India is expected to bounce back with 8.8% growth rate in 2021, to reclaim its position of the fastest-growing emerging economy.

Also Read | Indian economy to contract by 10.3% in 2020; to bounce back with 8.8% growth in 2021: IMF

Rahul has been sniping at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over a range of issues from women’s safety, handling of the economy, to the response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Congress party also sharpened its attack on the Modi government claiming that it did not have any strategy to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We are number two as far as infections are concerned and our death rate is twice that of our neighbours like Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. It is eight times that of Sri Lanka,” Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate told reporters in New Delhi.