Congress, govt spar over international missions’ oxygen SOS to IYC

A confrontation erupted between the federal government and Congress on Sunday involving two international missions in Delhi over provide of oxygen cylinders by the Youth Congress to those embassies for Covid sufferers.
The Youth Congress stated they provided oxygen cylinders to the New Zealand and Philippines missions after they acquired requests from these embassies.
The controversy erupted after Youth Congress volunteers provided oxygen cylinders to the Philippines mission on Saturday night time.
Indian Youth Congress president B V Srinivas informed The Indian Express that one in every of his volunteers – Manu Dixit – acquired a name from somebody on behalf of the Philippines embassy for cylinders and so they provided it.

Update- New Zealand excessive fee opened gates of the embassy and accepted cylinders.
Also, they thanked the #SOSIYC group for this fast aid as affected person inside embassy was critically ailing. https://t.co/BzGwj0wm0q pic.twitter.com/vu6TUhD1r8
— Srinivas B V (@srinivasiyc) May 2, 2021
When contacted, Dixit stated “I got a call from someone related to the Philippines Embassy from Mumbai last night, saying the embassy in Delhi needed cylinders immediately. I asked that person to share the contacts. They shared the name. It was Tomes Valerio. We reached out to him. He said there are two patients in the Embassy who need oxygen. They requested for ten small cylinders. We did not have small cylinders. We arranged for two jumbo cylinders…”
“We went to the Embassy with the cylinders…they accepted the cylinders…we explained the process of operating the cylinders….,” he informed The Indian Express.
After Srinivas tweeted visuals of Youth Congress staff on the Philippines Embassy with cylinders, senior Congress chief Jairam Ramesh tweeted “While I thank @IYC for its stellar efforts, as an Indian citizen I’m stunned that the youth wing of the opposition party is attending to SOS calls from foreign embassies. Is the MEA sleeping @DrSJaishankar?”
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s retort got here Sunday. “MEA checked with the Philippines Embassy. This was an unsolicited supply as they had no Covid cases. Clearly for cheap publicity by you know who. Giving away cylinders like this when there are people in desperate need of oxygen is simply appalling. Jairamji, MEA never sleeps; our people know across the world. MEA also never fakes; we know who does.”

The Youth Congress stated it was disappointing that the External Affairs Minister put out such a tweet saying it had indulged in unsolicited provide of cylinders. “We are not delivery boys…that we got a delivery order and we entered the Embassy. We got a request and we helped…we are not doing politics here,” Manu stated.
Adding to the political controversy was a tweet by the New Zealand High Commission in Delhi requesting assist from Srinivas and the Youth Congress for an oxygen cylinder.
“Right away. Please share further details in DM,” Srinivas responded.
When Youth Congress staff reached the Embassy with cylinders after which Srinivas tweeted “We have reached New Zealand High Commission with oxygen cylinders. Please open the gates and save a soul on time.”
The New Zealand mission, in the meantime, deleted the tweet and put out one other tweet: “We are trying all sources to arrange for oxygen cylinders urgently and our appeal has unfortunately been misinterpreted, for which we are sorry.”
Srinivas later put out a video clip of Youth Congress staff getting into the High Commission with a cylinder with a tweet “New Zealand high commission opened gates of the embassy and accepted cylinders. Also, they thanked the #SOSIYC team for this quick relief as the patient inside the embassy was critically ill.”
“It is not time for politics. If we get a request…we are trying to arrange and give…,” he informed The Indian Express.

In response to queries relating to medical necessities of Foreign High Commissions/Embassies in India, the Official Spokesperson stated:
“The Chief of Protocol and Heads of Divisions are in continuous touch with all High Commissions/Embassies and MEA is responding to their medical demands, especially those related to Covid. This includes facilitating their hospital treatment. Given the pandemic situation, all are urged not to hoard essential supplies, including oxygen.”