New Delhi, May 11: BJP President Jagat Prakash Nadda in a letter to Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi lashed out at her party and said that in the fight against the pandemic the conduct of topmost Congress leaders, including their former President Rahul Gandhi will be remembered for its "duplicity and pettiness".

He also urged that the top echelons of the Congress would stop misleading people, creating false panic and even contradicting their stands just based on political considerations.

In a four page letter, Nadda wrote, "In this fight against the pandemic, the conduct of the topmost Congress leaders including former Congress President Rahul Gandhi will be remembered for duplicity and pettiness."  Rahul Gandhi Asks People to Join #SpeakUpToSaveLives Campaign, Says 'Country Needs a Helping Hand in These Distressing Times'

"Your party, under your leadership, is doing no favours to itself by opposing lockdowns and then demanding for the same, ignoring the Centre's advisories on the second wave of COVID-19 and then saying they did not get any information, holding massive election rallies in Kerala causing a spike in COVID-19 cases while grandstanding about election rallies elsewhere, supporting protests but speaking about following COVID-19 guidelines," Nadda said.

The BJP chief pointed that even when the second wave was on the rise, Congress party leaders were happier being seen in super spreader political events in North India, where there was no regard for masks or social distancing. This is not the era when such information can be erased from public memory.

Lashing out at Rahul, Nadda said conduct of Rahul and other top leaders will be remembered for duplicity and pettiness. Nadda told Sonia that Congress is not doing any favours to itself by demanding lockdowns and then opposing the same, holding massive rallies in Kerala and grandstanding about rallies elsehwhere.

Nadda added that some states failed to track the rising cases. "Why are mortality rates so high in Punjab? These are questions you must ask your own Chief Ministers," Nadda said pointing fingers at Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.

He mentioned that there are other aspects that also need greater thought for instance, the data from February and March would reveal which states failed to track the rising cases.

Pointing to the Union Government criticism for the Central Vista project by Congress, Nadda wrote, "Now, there is a new trend in the Congress party to put all the blame on the Central Vista project. I would like to remind you that the need for a new Parliament was raised as early as the UPA times."

He wrote that former Lok Sabha Speaker, Meira Kumar had underscored the need for a new Parliament building. "The Union Urban Development Minister has addressed a large number of other queries regarding the project. Yet, the Congress does not believe in facts. People are also contrasting the Congress' stand on Central Vista with the Chhattisgarh Government going ahead to build a new assembly complex," he wrote.  India News | Nadda Slams Sonia Gandhi for Criticising Centre's Handling of COVID-19, Targets Rahul for 'duplicity, Pettiness'

He further wrote, "I could go on about such follies but as said, our focus is solely on the pandemic and not on politics. My letter to you is not only as the President of another political party. I have also had the honour of serving of as India's Health Minister. I have seen at close quarters the sacrifices our medical staff make so that others are healthy. They risk their lives so that fellow Indians can unite with their families. "

"You must ask yourselves - in times as these, is your party's conduct weakening the morale of these COVID-19-warriors? Deliberately or otherwise, are your actions trying to weaken this fight against COVID-19?," he wrote.

Nadda said that the Congress tried to mock the efforts during development of the vaccine, then ridiculed it and created doubts in the minds of the people. "In a country with no recent history of vaccine hesitancy, Your party has the dubious record of actively trying to create, that too, in the middle of a once in a century pandemic," Nadda said to Sonia Gandhi.

Nadda assured that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India's fight against COVID is driven by unwavering belief in principles of science, support to innovation, trust in our COVID-19 warriors and cooperative federalism.

Nadda said under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India's fight against COVID-19 is driven by unwavering belief in principles of science, support to innovation, trust in our COVID-19 warriors and cooperative federalism.

"I assure you that the Government of India will continue being proactive so that we defeat the virus and get ahead with economic as well as social empowerment," Nadda told Sonia Gandhi.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 11, 2021 01:06 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).