Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: “The Delhi Chief Minister has ‘no competence to comment on Covid-19 variants’ ”, India told Singapore on Wednesday after it strongly objected to Arvind Kejriwal’s comments on a ‘Singapore variant’ of the pandemic.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) clarified this immediately after the Singapore government conveyed to the Indian High Commissioner its strong objection to Kejriwal’s comments about a ” Singapore variant” of Covid-19.
MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the Indian High Commissioner conveyed to the Singapore government that the Delhi chief minister has no competence to comment on Covid-19 variants.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also said the Delhi Chief Minister does not speak for India.
In a series of tweets, Jaishankar said Singapore and India have been solid partners in combating the pandemic and appreciated the friendly country’s role as a logistics hub and oxygen supplier.
“Their gesture of deploying military aircraft to help us speaks of our exceptional relationship,” Jaishankar said.
“However, irresponsible comments from those who should know better can damage long-standing partnerships. So, let me clarify- Delhi CM does not speak for India,” he said.
“The Singapore Government called in our High Commissioner today to convey strong objection to the Delhi CM’s tweet on “Singapore variant”. The High Commissioner clarified that Delhi CM had no competence to pronounce on Covid variants or civil aviation policy,” Bagchi tweeted.
Kejriwal had on Tuesday called for cancelling all air services with Singapore with immediate effect, saying a strain of coronavirus found in that country could reach Delhi in the form of a third wave.
“The new form of coronavirus in Singapore is said to be very dangerous for children. It could reach Delhi in the form of a third wave. My appeal to the Central government: 1. Cancel all air services with Singapore with immediate effect 2. Work on vaccine alternatives for children on a priority basis,” Kejriwal had said in a tweet in Hindi.
In its reaction, the Singapore health ministry said there was is no truth in the claim, media reported.
