Manish Tewari urges President to call emergency Parliament session to evolve national policy to tackle COVID-19

Amid rising COVID-19 cases in the country, Congress leader Manish Tewari Monday urged President Ram Nath Kovind to convene a two-day emergency session of Parliament to evolve a national policy to deal with the grave situation.

A monumental tragedy is unfolding in the country, and the President must exercise his special powers to convene an emergency session, the Congress MP said.

He also alleged the ongoing vaccination drive was not being carried out properly, and there was a shortage of beds, medical oxygen, life-saving medicines and vaccines everywhere.


"Call a two-day emergency session of Parliament now. Situation in nation is turning grave," Tewari said in his appeal to the President.

"A Monumental Tragedy of epic proportions is unfolding across India. No Hospital beds, no Oxygen, No Vaccination. While Nero's of BJP are busy politicking in West Bengal, the nation burns. President of India must summon emergency two day session of Parliament," Tewari said on Twitter.

He alleged that crematoriums and burial grounds were unable to manage the coronavirus dead, and Parliament must meet to together evolve a nation-wide policy to deal with the grim situation.

India's total tally of COVID-19 cases crossed the 1.50-crore mark with around 25 lakh cases being added in just 15 days, while active cases surpassed the 19-lakh mark, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Monday.

A record single-day rise of 2,73,810 coronavirus infections were reported on Monday, according to the health ministry.

The death toll also increased to 1,78,769 with a record 1,619 daily new fatalities, the data updated at 8 am showed.

The country's total COVID-19 infections had surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19 after which it took 107 days to cross the 1.25 crore on April 5. However, it only took 15 days for the cases to cross the 1.50-crore mark.