Rahul slams centre for flattening GDP curve as COVID cases spike

On Monday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticised the centre over its lockdown measures which have reduced GDP even as COVID-19 cases spike across India. He quoted Albert Einstein in a tweet along with a graphic that depicted the rise in coronavirus cases in the country.

“This lock down proves that: ‘The only thing more dangerous than ignorance is arrogance.’ Albert Einstein (sic),” the tweet read.

This lock down proves that:

“The only thing more dangerous than ignorance is arrogance.”
Albert Einstein pic.twitter.com/XkykIxsYKI

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 15, 2020

Mr. Gandhi has been holding weekly conversations with experts over the last two months,  where he has discussed the repercussions of the lockdown and its impact on the economy, which has been badly hit by the pandemic.

In one such conversation, industrialist Rajiv Bajaj told Rahul Gandhi: “We tried to implement a hard lockdown which was still porous. So, I think we have ended up with the worst of both worlds. On one hand, a porous lockdown makes sure that the virus will still exist and as you said, it is still waiting to hit you when you will unlock. So, you have not solved that problem.”

“But you have definitely decimated the economy. You flattened the wrong curve. It is not the infection curve, it is the GDP curve,” he said.

The 49-year-old leader has been critical of the government’s approach in dealing with the novel COVID-19 pandemic and has been attacking the government ever since a nationwide lockdown was announced in March to break the chain of transmission.

Last week, Mr. Gandhi had tweeted: “India is firmly on it’s way to winning the wrong race. A horrific tragedy, resulting from a lethal blend of arrogance and incompetence.”

The government, however, has repeatedly said that the shutdown has been effective in controlling the spread of the highly infectious disease.

Related News: COVID-19 here to stay till 2021: Health experts tell Rahul Gandhi

The Union Health Ministry said this morning that the country’s coronavirus tally soared to 3.32 lakh cases as more than 11,000 new patients were recorded for the third consecutive day.

India is currently the fourth worst-hit nation by the pandemic. About half of the patients logged since the beginning of the pandemic have recovered.