Kejriwal does not speak for India, asserts foreign minister Jaishankar on 'Singapore variant' row

This has really turned big but ugly.

Singapore Foreign Ministry issues a statement (May 19, 2021)

MFA regrets the unfounded assertions made on Facebook and Twitter by Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal that a variant of COVID-19 found in Singapore was particularly harmful to children and could cause a third wave of infections in India. MFA is disappointed that a prominent political figure had failed to ascertain the facts before making such claims. MFA met the High Commissioner of India P Kumaran this morning to express these concerns.

"As highlighted by MOH in its press release of 18 May 2021, there is no “Singapore variant”. The strain prevalent in many of the COVID-19 cases in recent weeks is the B.1.617.2 variant, which was first detected in India." 

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External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Wednesday, May 19, made it clear that Delhi Chief  Minister Arvind Kejriwal "does not speak for India".
"......let me clarify- Delhi CM does not speak for India," he tweeted.

In reference to highly controversial developments related to Kejriwal's tweet on 'Singapore variant' of the Covid19, Dr Jaishankar clarified, "...irresponsible comments from those who should know better can damage long-standing partnerships".

The External Affairs Minister said, "Singapore and India have been solid partners in the fight against Covid-19. Appreciate Singapore's role as a logistics hub and oxygen supplier. Their gesture of deploying military aircraft to help us speaks of our exceptional relationship".

In a tweet, MEA spokesman Arindam Bagchi also said, "Singapore Government called in our High Commissioner today to convey strong objection to Delhi CM's tweet on "Singapore variant". 

The High Commissioner clarified that the Delhi CM had no competence to pronounce on Covid variants or civil aviation policy".

These missives come in the light of a Hindi missive from Arvind Kejriwal.

"The new form of Corona that came to Singapore is said to be extremely dangerous for children, in India it may come as a third wave. My appeal to the central government: 1. Air services with Singapore to be cancelled with immediate effect.  2. Vaccine options should be worked out for children too," he wrote on Tuesday.

BJP IT cell chief, Amit Malviya also flayed Delhi Chief Minister.

"Arvind Kejriwal has no competence anyway you look at it. He failed to manage Covid on multiple occasions, failed to manage the oxygen logistics and has been a disaster when it comes to vaccination. He was first an embarrassment for Delhi, now is an embarrassment for India", Malviya tweeted.

The Singapore embassy in India took to the micro blogging site and said,  "There is no truth in the assertion that there is a new COVID strain in Singapore. Phylogenetic testing has shown that the B.1.617.2 variant is the prevalent strain in many of the COVID cases, including in children in recent weeks in Singapore".